Gap in rice prices between wholesale and millers' levels large

FE Team | Published: November 08, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

FE Report
Prices of fine and coarse varieties of rice in the city's wholesale market are too high compared to those at millers' level across the country, sources said.
They said prices of per maund of fine and coarse rice, including the transportation and other costs, in Dhaka should not be over Tk 1100 and Tk 800 respectively.
During the last week, at the wholesale level, Minicate variety of rice was selling at about Tk 1150 per maund (37.50-38 per kg) from its previous rate of Tk 1080 per maund one month ago. Nazirshail variety of rice was selling at Tk 1320 per maund compared with its previous price of Tk 1250 per maund.
BRRI rice price was at Tk 830 per maund compared with that of Tk 760 per maund and Lata variety of rice at Tk 910 per maund compared with its previous price of Tk 850 per maund.
A miller -- Nazmul -- from Rajshai's Godagari Thana told the FE Tuesday that the retail level price of coarse rice that ranged between Tk 26-Tk 27 per kg and that of finer variety of rice ranging between Tk 35-Tk 40 per kg should not be over Tk 22 and Tk 30 respectively in the city.
Referring to wider price gap, a miller from Dinajpur said: "We are also surprised by the recent skyrocketing prices of rice in the capital city."
When asked, he said retail prices of fine and coarse varieties of rice in Dinajpur district are lower by at least Tk 6 per kg than those in the capital city.
Regarding the allegation of price manipulation by a section of traders, Md Nizam Uddin, secretary general of Badamtoli and Babubazar Chal Arot Malik Samity, said: "The authorities concerned should find out whether there is any price manipulation in the rice market."
He said the government should be always prepared to launch open market sale (OMS) of rice to stabilise rice prices.
"We'll welcome the government decision on introducing OMS," he said.
Sources said a section of millers have increased prices of rice and 'atta' (coarse flour), following the imposition of an embargo by the Indian authorities on the export of some essential commodities.