Prices of rice unlikely to come down soon
Saturday, 24 November 2007
FE Report
Prices of most of the essential commodities, excepting of few newly arrived seasonal vegetable items, have remained almost unchanged over the last one week in the city markets compared to their previous prices, market sources said.
At the wholesale level, they said, prices of the coarse variety of rice have increased by about Tk20-Tk25 per maund after hurricane SIDR hit the country.
Talking to the FE Friday, wholesalers of rice in the city said prices of rice are unlikely to come down soon.
"We are hoping that the prices of some varieties of rice including Minicate and Nazirshail will come down soon, as the growers of the country's northern region have started their harvesting in full swing," a rice trader in the city's Karwan Bazar said.
The sources, however, expressed the hope that price of many essential commodities including rice would mark a declining trend as India had withdrawn its embargo on export of the same.
During the last week, at the wholesale level, Minicate variety of rice was selling at Tk1175-Tk1200 per maund (37.50-38 kg) against its previous rate at Tk1080 per maund a month ago. Nazirshail variety of rice was selling at Tk1500-Tk1550 per maund compared with its previous rate at Tk 1250 per maund, BRRI at Tk 875 per maund compared with its previous rate at Tk 760 per maund and Lata variety of rice at Tk 945-Tk1000 per maund compared with its previous rate at Tk 850 per maund a month ago.
At the retail level, prices of coarse variety of rice were Tk25-Tk26 despite a slight price hike of the same at the wholesale level and finer variety of rice ranged between Tk32 and Tk41per kg, traders said.
Over the past week, at the retail level onion was selling at Tk 67-68 per kg compared with its previous rates at Tk60-62 a month ago and Tk54-Tk55 per kg two months ago, traders said.
They said prices of Indian onion have registered a declining trend. Indian onion was selling at Tk40-Tk60 a week ago in the city markets.
During the last week prices of edible oil have remained unchanged.
At the retail level, prices of canned edible oil of different brands of five litres remained unchanged at Tk 450-Tk455.
During the last week at the wholesale level sugar was selling at Tk1065-Tk1090 per maund compared with its previous rates at Tk1020-Tk1025 per maund a month ago.
At the retail level locally produced sugar was selling at Tk31-Tk32 per kg compared with its previous rate at Tk28-Tk30 per kg a month ago. Brown sugar was selling at Tk35 per kg.
During the last week eggplant was selling at Tk25-Tk35 per kg against its previous price at Tk36-Tk40 per kg. Green chilli was selling at Tk50-Tk55 per kg against its previous rates at Tk100-Tk120 per kg a month ago. Coriander leaf was selling at Tk100-Tk130 per kg.
Like previous week, newly arrived potato was selling at Tk58-Tk60 per kg Friday. Prices of potato (old), increased by Tk5-Tk6 and were Tk27-Tk28 per kg against its previous price at Tk22-Tk23 a week ago. Price of a small piece of cabbage or cauliflower was Tk 15-Tk16, traders said.
Prices of many seasonal vegetables including bean and parbal declined to some extent.
However, prices of the fine variety of local lentil remained unchanged at Tk76-Tk 80 per kg and the Turkish variety at Tk65-Tk70 per kg.
During the last week, at the retail level one kilogramme (kg) of packed coarse flour was selling at Tk38-Tk40 against its previous price at Tk 35-Tk36 per kg a month weeks ago.
In the last one week, prices of poultry birds remained unchanged at Tk 90-Tk 100 per kg and beef at Tk 180-Tk190 per kg. Mutton was selling at Tk 220-Tk 230 per kg, unchanged from the previous week.
Prices of some imported fishes including big-size 'ruhi' and 'katla' registered a rise by Tk20-30 at per kg. Besides these, prices of other varieties of fishes remained almost unchanged.
Prices of condensed milk of different brands recorded a rise by Tk1-Tk2 and liquid milk of various brand was selling at Tk37-Tk42 in the markets over the last week against its previous price at Tk36-Tk40.
Prices of powder milk of various brands increased by Tk10-15 and were Tk510-Tk515 per kg.
Prices of most of the essential commodities, excepting of few newly arrived seasonal vegetable items, have remained almost unchanged over the last one week in the city markets compared to their previous prices, market sources said.
At the wholesale level, they said, prices of the coarse variety of rice have increased by about Tk20-Tk25 per maund after hurricane SIDR hit the country.
Talking to the FE Friday, wholesalers of rice in the city said prices of rice are unlikely to come down soon.
"We are hoping that the prices of some varieties of rice including Minicate and Nazirshail will come down soon, as the growers of the country's northern region have started their harvesting in full swing," a rice trader in the city's Karwan Bazar said.
The sources, however, expressed the hope that price of many essential commodities including rice would mark a declining trend as India had withdrawn its embargo on export of the same.
During the last week, at the wholesale level, Minicate variety of rice was selling at Tk1175-Tk1200 per maund (37.50-38 kg) against its previous rate at Tk1080 per maund a month ago. Nazirshail variety of rice was selling at Tk1500-Tk1550 per maund compared with its previous rate at Tk 1250 per maund, BRRI at Tk 875 per maund compared with its previous rate at Tk 760 per maund and Lata variety of rice at Tk 945-Tk1000 per maund compared with its previous rate at Tk 850 per maund a month ago.
At the retail level, prices of coarse variety of rice were Tk25-Tk26 despite a slight price hike of the same at the wholesale level and finer variety of rice ranged between Tk32 and Tk41per kg, traders said.
Over the past week, at the retail level onion was selling at Tk 67-68 per kg compared with its previous rates at Tk60-62 a month ago and Tk54-Tk55 per kg two months ago, traders said.
They said prices of Indian onion have registered a declining trend. Indian onion was selling at Tk40-Tk60 a week ago in the city markets.
During the last week prices of edible oil have remained unchanged.
At the retail level, prices of canned edible oil of different brands of five litres remained unchanged at Tk 450-Tk455.
During the last week at the wholesale level sugar was selling at Tk1065-Tk1090 per maund compared with its previous rates at Tk1020-Tk1025 per maund a month ago.
At the retail level locally produced sugar was selling at Tk31-Tk32 per kg compared with its previous rate at Tk28-Tk30 per kg a month ago. Brown sugar was selling at Tk35 per kg.
During the last week eggplant was selling at Tk25-Tk35 per kg against its previous price at Tk36-Tk40 per kg. Green chilli was selling at Tk50-Tk55 per kg against its previous rates at Tk100-Tk120 per kg a month ago. Coriander leaf was selling at Tk100-Tk130 per kg.
Like previous week, newly arrived potato was selling at Tk58-Tk60 per kg Friday. Prices of potato (old), increased by Tk5-Tk6 and were Tk27-Tk28 per kg against its previous price at Tk22-Tk23 a week ago. Price of a small piece of cabbage or cauliflower was Tk 15-Tk16, traders said.
Prices of many seasonal vegetables including bean and parbal declined to some extent.
However, prices of the fine variety of local lentil remained unchanged at Tk76-Tk 80 per kg and the Turkish variety at Tk65-Tk70 per kg.
During the last week, at the retail level one kilogramme (kg) of packed coarse flour was selling at Tk38-Tk40 against its previous price at Tk 35-Tk36 per kg a month weeks ago.
In the last one week, prices of poultry birds remained unchanged at Tk 90-Tk 100 per kg and beef at Tk 180-Tk190 per kg. Mutton was selling at Tk 220-Tk 230 per kg, unchanged from the previous week.
Prices of some imported fishes including big-size 'ruhi' and 'katla' registered a rise by Tk20-30 at per kg. Besides these, prices of other varieties of fishes remained almost unchanged.
Prices of condensed milk of different brands recorded a rise by Tk1-Tk2 and liquid milk of various brand was selling at Tk37-Tk42 in the markets over the last week against its previous price at Tk36-Tk40.
Prices of powder milk of various brands increased by Tk10-15 and were Tk510-Tk515 per kg.