Further rise in prices of essentials
Saturday, 8 March 2008
FE Report
Prices of a number of key commodities including flour, sugar, rice and lentil soared again while prices of edible oil that marked sharp rise recently remained almost unchanged at the retail shops in the capital during the past one week, market operators said.
They said prices of some essential commodities increased hour by hour over the last one week.
"In my 20 years of trading life I have not experienced such a situation that prices increased hour by hour," Gholam Mowla, a trader in Shantinagar bazaar, said.
On visiting some city markets including Shantinagar, Khilgaon, Karwan Bazaar, New Market and Moulavibazar in the city Friday, it was observed that there was no consistency of prices of same commodities even in the same market.
In the past one week, at the retail level one kilogramme (kg) of packet coarse flour was selling at Tk 44 against Tk42 a week ago.
During the same period, non-brand sugar was selling at Tk 40-Tk 44 against Tk 38 per kg a week ago and Tk 35 per kg about three weeks ago. At the wholesale level sugar price ranged between Tk1940 and Tk 1950 against Tk 1740-Tk1750 (50 kg) a week ago and Tk 1640-Tk 1650 (50kg) about two weeks ago.
Prices of rice at wholesale level in the capital, during the last week increased by Tk 25-Tk 30 per maund pushing retail prices of the same up.
When asked, wholesalers at Badamtoli and Babubazar in the city, however, could not show any reason of price hike of rice varieties at the wholesale level during the last week.
Over the last week, retailers in the capital said, prices of coarse and finer varieties of rice were Tk 32-Tk 33 per kg and Tk 35-Tk 45 per kg respectively against Tk 30-Tk 31 and Tk 34-Tk 44 a week ago.
In the past one week, at the wholesale level, Minicate variety of rice was selling at Tk 1462-Tk 1607 (37.50-38 kg) against its previous rate at Tk 1417-Tk 1547 (37.50-38 kg) per maund about a month ago. Nazirshail variety of rice was selling at Tk 1295-Tk 1403 per maund compared to its previous rate at Tk 1250-Tk 1343 per maund a month ago, coarse rice --Swarna -- at Tk 1045-1085 per maund compared to its previous rate at Tk 1000-1025 per maund a month a ago and Paijam (Pari) at Tk 1065-Tk 1104 per maund compared to its previous rate at Tk 1020-Tk 1044 per maund a month ago.
In the last one week, prices of canned edible oil of different brands of five litres ranged between Tk 525 and Tk 530 against Tk 495-Tk 505 a month ago, traders said.
They said prices of non-brand edible oil including soybean and super palm oil went up last week despite the fact that the government fixed the prices of the same on February 25 for 15 days until March 09.
Market operators said prices of edible oil and flour have been unstable due to inadequate supply of the same in the past one week.
Price of the finer variety of local lentil ranged between Tk81 and Tk 85 per kg against its previous rate at Tk 80-Tk 82. Prices of Nepalese and Turkish varieties of lentil also increased by Tk 2-Tk 3 per kg.
Market operators said though prices of powder milk of different brands that on an average went up by at least Tk 10-Tk 35 recently remained almost unchanged during the last one week, a baby food item of Nestle increased by Tk 35 since March 1.
Nestles' baby food item -Cerelac -- was selling at Tk 280-285.
Price of poultry birds that came down to Tk 75 from Tk 85-Tk 90 per kg following lower demand because of news of outbreak of bird flu remained almost unchanged in the last one week.
Beef and mutton were selling at Tk 180-Tk 190 per kg and Tk 240-Tk 250 per kg respectively, unchanged from their previous prices a week ago.
Traders said prices of varieties of local and imported fish maintained an upward trend following their higher demand during the last one week.
Prices of large-size 'ruhi' (local) were Tk 200-Tk 220 per kg against Tk 170-Tk180 a week ago.
Prices of most of the fresh vegetable items increased to some extent in the past one week.
During the last week best quality eggplant was selling at Tk 25-Tk30 per kg against Tk 20-Tk 24 a week ago. Green chilli and coriander leaf were selling at Tk 40-Tk45 per kg against Tk 30-Tk 35 a week ago.
Price of potato remained unchanged at Tk 14-Tk 15 per kg. Price of a small piece of cabbage or cauliflower was Tk 20-Tk 25, traders said.
They said prices of local onion ranged between Tk 18 and Tk 20 per kg while the prices of Indian one remained unchanged at Tk 17-Tk 18 per kg.
Prices of a number of key commodities including flour, sugar, rice and lentil soared again while prices of edible oil that marked sharp rise recently remained almost unchanged at the retail shops in the capital during the past one week, market operators said.
They said prices of some essential commodities increased hour by hour over the last one week.
"In my 20 years of trading life I have not experienced such a situation that prices increased hour by hour," Gholam Mowla, a trader in Shantinagar bazaar, said.
On visiting some city markets including Shantinagar, Khilgaon, Karwan Bazaar, New Market and Moulavibazar in the city Friday, it was observed that there was no consistency of prices of same commodities even in the same market.
In the past one week, at the retail level one kilogramme (kg) of packet coarse flour was selling at Tk 44 against Tk42 a week ago.
During the same period, non-brand sugar was selling at Tk 40-Tk 44 against Tk 38 per kg a week ago and Tk 35 per kg about three weeks ago. At the wholesale level sugar price ranged between Tk1940 and Tk 1950 against Tk 1740-Tk1750 (50 kg) a week ago and Tk 1640-Tk 1650 (50kg) about two weeks ago.
Prices of rice at wholesale level in the capital, during the last week increased by Tk 25-Tk 30 per maund pushing retail prices of the same up.
When asked, wholesalers at Badamtoli and Babubazar in the city, however, could not show any reason of price hike of rice varieties at the wholesale level during the last week.
Over the last week, retailers in the capital said, prices of coarse and finer varieties of rice were Tk 32-Tk 33 per kg and Tk 35-Tk 45 per kg respectively against Tk 30-Tk 31 and Tk 34-Tk 44 a week ago.
In the past one week, at the wholesale level, Minicate variety of rice was selling at Tk 1462-Tk 1607 (37.50-38 kg) against its previous rate at Tk 1417-Tk 1547 (37.50-38 kg) per maund about a month ago. Nazirshail variety of rice was selling at Tk 1295-Tk 1403 per maund compared to its previous rate at Tk 1250-Tk 1343 per maund a month ago, coarse rice --Swarna -- at Tk 1045-1085 per maund compared to its previous rate at Tk 1000-1025 per maund a month a ago and Paijam (Pari) at Tk 1065-Tk 1104 per maund compared to its previous rate at Tk 1020-Tk 1044 per maund a month ago.
In the last one week, prices of canned edible oil of different brands of five litres ranged between Tk 525 and Tk 530 against Tk 495-Tk 505 a month ago, traders said.
They said prices of non-brand edible oil including soybean and super palm oil went up last week despite the fact that the government fixed the prices of the same on February 25 for 15 days until March 09.
Market operators said prices of edible oil and flour have been unstable due to inadequate supply of the same in the past one week.
Price of the finer variety of local lentil ranged between Tk81 and Tk 85 per kg against its previous rate at Tk 80-Tk 82. Prices of Nepalese and Turkish varieties of lentil also increased by Tk 2-Tk 3 per kg.
Market operators said though prices of powder milk of different brands that on an average went up by at least Tk 10-Tk 35 recently remained almost unchanged during the last one week, a baby food item of Nestle increased by Tk 35 since March 1.
Nestles' baby food item -Cerelac -- was selling at Tk 280-285.
Price of poultry birds that came down to Tk 75 from Tk 85-Tk 90 per kg following lower demand because of news of outbreak of bird flu remained almost unchanged in the last one week.
Beef and mutton were selling at Tk 180-Tk 190 per kg and Tk 240-Tk 250 per kg respectively, unchanged from their previous prices a week ago.
Traders said prices of varieties of local and imported fish maintained an upward trend following their higher demand during the last one week.
Prices of large-size 'ruhi' (local) were Tk 200-Tk 220 per kg against Tk 170-Tk180 a week ago.
Prices of most of the fresh vegetable items increased to some extent in the past one week.
During the last week best quality eggplant was selling at Tk 25-Tk30 per kg against Tk 20-Tk 24 a week ago. Green chilli and coriander leaf were selling at Tk 40-Tk45 per kg against Tk 30-Tk 35 a week ago.
Price of potato remained unchanged at Tk 14-Tk 15 per kg. Price of a small piece of cabbage or cauliflower was Tk 20-Tk 25, traders said.
They said prices of local onion ranged between Tk 18 and Tk 20 per kg while the prices of Indian one remained unchanged at Tk 17-Tk 18 per kg.