The market unrest over edible oils continues unabated, even last week, despite the government fixing prices.
The government increased the price of soybean oil by Tk 8.0 and palm oil by Tk 14 per litre last Monday, but suppliers have not normalised oil distribution in the market. Many neighborhood shops remain out of stock.
Prices of potatoes, onions, vegetables, and chicken have declined last week.
At Mohammadpur, only a few shops were selling bottled soybean oil on Friday at government fixed rates.
Arefin Siddiq, owner of Sadman Store at Razia Sultana Road in Mohammadpur told the FE, "The company was supposed to deliver oil on Thursday but informed us at the last minute that it would arrive on Saturday instead."
Distributors said that most brands have not yet released new-priced soybean oil bottles to the market, leaving them unable to supply products to retailers.
Currently, the government has set retail price for bottled soybean oil at Tk 175 a liter while loose soybean oil and palm oil at Tk 157.
However, supply shortages have pushed the retail price of bottled oil to as high as Tk 190-200 a litre last week which declined slightly to Tk 185-190 a liter on Friday.
Onion prices, which had surged in recent months has started decreasing.
High-quality local onions, previously sold at Tk 130 a kg, are now available at Tk 110. Hybrid local onions cost Tk 90-100, and imported onions at Tk 80-90---Tk 20 a kg decline.
Juel Rana, a grocer at West Dhanmondi, said, "New seed onions (murikata) are arriving, big traders have started releasing stored onions from last season, which has helped stabilise prices. Once the new crop fully enters the market, prices are expected to drop further."
Potatoes have also become more affordable.
Newly harvested potatoes price has dropped to Tk 80-110 depending on quality while stored potato is being retailed at Tk 70 a kg thanks to rise in supply.
The increased supply of winter vegetables has also led to significant price reductions.
Most vegetables are now selling at an average of Tk 40-60 a kg/piece.
Country bean is being retailed at Tk 50-70, radish Tk 30-40, turnips at Tk 40-50, brinjals at Tk 50-80 a kg, cabbage and cauliflower at Tk 30-50 each on Friday depending on size, marking Tk 10-20 a kg/piece decline in a week.
Tomato price is still high at Tk 150-160 a kg. Green tomato, however, is cheaper at Tk 50-80 a kg.
Broiler chickens are being sold at Tk180-190 a kg, while Pakistani/sonali chickens cost Tk 290-300 a kg marking Tk10- 20 a kg decline in a week.
Brown eggs prices remained static at Tk 145-150 a dozen. But branded eggs of companies like Paragon are being retailed at Tk 200-205 a dozen.
Rice, sugar, flour, beef, cultured fish and other essentials' prices, however, have remained static in last seven days.
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