Egg, chicken, veg get pricier despite price fixing

Eggs, chicken and vegetables have become pricier further in a week though the government has recently fixed maximum retailed prices of the first two daily necessary items.
Meanwhile, rice, fish, beef and onion prices remained static maintaining previous highs.
The Department of Livestock Services (DLS) and the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM) jointly fixed the prices of farm eggs, Sonali and broiler chickens at producer, wholesale and retail levels on September 15.
While visiting few markets in the capital on Friday, the FE correspondent found that the fixation put a little impact on the market.
The prices of farm eggs and chicken have even increased in a week battering the consumers further.
The DLS announced MRP for an egg at Tk 11.87 apiece, Sonali chicken at Tk 269 a kg and broiler at Tk 179.5 a kg on September 15 last.
Brown eggs are being retailed at Tk 13.75-14 each in the market for last three days.
A 'hali' (four eggs) is being retailed at Tk 55, while a dozen eggs ranged from Tk 160 to Tk 165 a kg.
The price of a white egg, which was Tk 12.5 apiece before the price fixation, has now increased to Tk 13.75 a piece, almost same MRP like that of brown eggs.
Sonali chicken prices have increased to Tk 280-290 a kg from Tk 260-270 as kg. The government has fixed MRP of Sonali or Pakistani chicken at Tk 269.5 a kg.
Broiler is sold at Tk 185-195 a kg from Tk 170-175 a kg earlier while the government price is Tk 179.54 a kg.
An egg trader at Rayerbazar market said they were supplying to groceries at Tk 12.3-12.5 apiece to retailer which is Tk 1.2-1.3 more than that of a week back.
He said prices of white and brown eggs are now almost same in the farm level with the announcement of the MRP by the government.
Sumon Hawladar, president of the Bangladesh Poultry Association, said the government's price fixations were set to benefit large poultry farms only.
He said the DLS or DAM have generalised while fix prices of brown and white eggs.
He said consumers could buy white eggs at Tk 6.0-10 a dozen lesser which has now been stopped.
Hawladar also said that without reducing the cost of poultry feed, the initiative would offer little relief to small farmers and consumers.
He also pointed out that imports would not significantly curb prices as they only cover a small portion of the 40-million eggs needed daily.
SM Nazer Hossain, vice-president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, said the DAM and the DLS should make their price-fixing decisions on accurate market data.
Mr Hossain suggested that government agencies enforce fixed prices through regular market monitoring, calling for stricter scrutiny of large poultry farms to prevent price manipulation.
He also pointed out that the government must ensure the private sector supplies 5,000-5,500 tonnes of chickens and 40-million eggs at reasonable prices daily as they constitute most affordable sources of protein for the limited income group.
Meanwhile, prices of brinjal, cucumber, pumpkin, eddo, clocasia stem, bitter gourd, long-yard bean increased by Tk 5.0-10 a kg in a week.
Round brinjal (taal begun) was sold at Tk 100-120 and long brinjal at Tk 90-100 a kg, cucumber Tk 70-080, pumpkin Tk 50-55, eddo, stem, bitter gourd at Tk 80-90 a kg on Friday.
Janaki Nath Das, a vegetable vendor at Rayerbazar-Beribadh in the capital, said supply of summer crops have gradually been declining as farmers are now shifting to rice or other Rabi crops following the season.
He said the next two months will be the transitional period for vegetables and its prices will remain higher.
He said from the last week of November, entrance of big chunk of winter vegetables, would cool down the market.
However, despite India's withdrawal of minimum export duties on onion, its price is found static at Tk 110-130 a kg.

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