Rice prices mark fresh rise after five months

After remaining stable for the last five months, the price of coarse rice has increased in the market, battering the low-income people further.
Besides, the prices of onions, potatoes and broiler chickens have increased further in a week.
Meanwhile, the government has fixed the prices of onion and potato, which were being sold at double the prices fixed by the government.
On Friday morning, after visiting different markets of the capital, the FE correspondent found that prices of the coarse varieties of rice increased to Tk54-56 per kilogram and medium varieties to Tk62-65 a kg, marking Tk2.0-4.0 a kg surge in a week.
Sobuj Ahmed, manager of Bhai Bhai Rice Agency at Mohammadpur Agricultural Market, said prices of medium variety BRRI dhan 28 and paijam rice per 50 kg sack increased by Tk125-130.
Coarse hybrid and guti swarna rice prices also increased by Tk150 a sack.
"We are selling BRRI dhan-28 rice at Tk55-56 a kg today (Friday) which was Tk52-53 earlier," he said.
However, finer rice miniket and nazirshail were being sold at the rate of Tk68-72 and Tk72-75 respectively, he said.
Prices of the finer rice varieties remained static at their previous highs in the retail market as well.
Miniket, shampa katari and najirshail varieties were selling at Tk72-85 a kg in the groceries.
Meanwhile, the prices of onion and potato set by the government have gone up another step further this week.
In the retail market, the price of locally selected onion has gone up to Tk115 per kg, which is 10 taka more per kg than last week.
On the other hand, imported Indian varieties of onion were being sold at the same prices of Tk90-100 per kg; although the onion price set by the government was Tk65 per kg.
Again, the price of potato in the market has stopped at Tk60 per kg marking Tk10 a kg hike while the government fixed price was Tk36.
Similarly, the price of broiler chicken has increased by Tk10 per kg and it was being sold at Tk 200-215 a kg.
The prices of these products are showing a hike at a time when the prices of almost all types of vegetables and fish are going through record highs.
Meanwhile, no vegetable other than papaya could be found below Tk80 a kg in the retail market for several weeks. Most of them were selling at more than Tk100 a kg.
Traders said vast tracts of vegetables fields were damaged in the late-autumn heavy rainfall, causing supply disruption, and price rise as well.
Round brinjal was selling at Tk120-140 and long brinjal at Tk 80-100 each kg in the market. Bitter gourd, eddo, long yard bean and tomato were selling for Tk 100-120 a kg.
On the other hand, okra, pointed gourd and ridge gourd were selling at Tk80-100 a kg.
Among the cheaper veggies, radish was Tk50-60 per kg and papaya Tk40-50 a kg.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) secretary Humayun Kabir Bhuiya said the government has totally failed to make the prices of essential commodities rational.
He added the government could neither bring egg nor potato or onion within even close to its fixed rates.
He said rice prices remained static for the last five months; the key staple was the lone essential which remained stable, now it has started increasing.
He said on the other hand, prices of fish and meat have also increased.
Low-income people buy pangas, koi and tilapia fish the most.
A kg of these fish varieties in the market now ranges from Tk260 to Tk350.
Besides, cultured rui, katla, kalibaus and mrigel were being sold at Tk400 to Tk 550 a kg depending on the size.
He said millions of people would cut in their food intake further due to such skyrocketing hike in the prices of essentials when their income would show hardly any rise.

tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com