BGMEA, BKMEA sit Monday on OMS rice price cut
Monday, 13 April 2009
FE Report
The government's recent decision to lower the price of rice in the open-market sales (OMS) by Tk 2.0 per kg has encouraged the garment owners to renew their programme for the garment workers.
The government had earlier fixed the price of rice for the OMS programme at Tk 18 per kg but after the prices started declining in the retail markets, the OMS was no longer an attractive option.
As a result, the government had to lower the price, which has been re-fixed at Tk 16 per kg.
According to the govern ment announcement, OMS rice will be sold at the reduced rate from today (Monday) across the country until April 30.
The government started selling rice through OMS from April 1 this year at Tk 18 per kg through more than 560 dealers across the country but received poor response from the target group as the difference between OMS and retail prices was minimal.
The retail price of coarse rice is now around Tk 20 per kg.
Due to the price fall in the retail markets, the garment owners stopped launching the special OMS programme scheduled to start from April 1, for the workers and urged the government to lower the price.
Bangladesh Garment Manufactures and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufactures and Exporters Association (BKMEA) proposed the price to be fixed at Tk 15 for per kg rice at the special OMS outlets.
Talking to FE, BGMEA second vice-president Mohiuddin Ahmed, who is dealing with the issue on behalf of BGMEA, hailed the government's decision to cut the price.
He said that they are going to hold a meeting with the BKMEA representatives Monday over the issue. "I'm very much hopeful about it," he added.
The government's recent decision to lower the price of rice in the open-market sales (OMS) by Tk 2.0 per kg has encouraged the garment owners to renew their programme for the garment workers.
The government had earlier fixed the price of rice for the OMS programme at Tk 18 per kg but after the prices started declining in the retail markets, the OMS was no longer an attractive option.
As a result, the government had to lower the price, which has been re-fixed at Tk 16 per kg.
According to the govern ment announcement, OMS rice will be sold at the reduced rate from today (Monday) across the country until April 30.
The government started selling rice through OMS from April 1 this year at Tk 18 per kg through more than 560 dealers across the country but received poor response from the target group as the difference between OMS and retail prices was minimal.
The retail price of coarse rice is now around Tk 20 per kg.
Due to the price fall in the retail markets, the garment owners stopped launching the special OMS programme scheduled to start from April 1, for the workers and urged the government to lower the price.
Bangladesh Garment Manufactures and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufactures and Exporters Association (BKMEA) proposed the price to be fixed at Tk 15 for per kg rice at the special OMS outlets.
Talking to FE, BGMEA second vice-president Mohiuddin Ahmed, who is dealing with the issue on behalf of BGMEA, hailed the government's decision to cut the price.
He said that they are going to hold a meeting with the BKMEA representatives Monday over the issue. "I'm very much hopeful about it," he added.