Still no let-up in price spiral

Prices of fish, meat, pulses, dates and spices are still maintaining their previous highs, although the government on Friday fixed maximum prices of 29 commodities from producer to retail levels.
The Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM) in a notification last Friday fixed prices of 29 essentials, including beef, mutton, fowl, cultured pangas, katla, egg, date and brinjal.
The development came with an eye to reining in on the market during the fasting month of Ramadan.
Prices at all levels from producers to wholesalers to retailers have been fixed by an executive order carried in the notification.
But insiders hardly find any impact of the new price ceilings on the market amid lack of coordination among the agencies concerned under agriculture, commerce and home ministries.
The MRP (maximum retail price) of beef was fixed at Tk 665 per kilo. However, while visiting two city markets, the FE found the essential selling at Tk 750-800.
Juber Alam, an employee of a private farm, said he saw on television that the government has fixed maximum price of beef at Tk 665.
"I've come to Rayerbazar to buy beef at that rate, but traders are charging the same price as it was two days back," he added.
Kabir Hossain, a salesperson of a meat shop in Rayerbazar, said cattle prices have increased by 30-40 per cent in the last two and half months.
He said they could hardly make 10-per cent profits after selling beef at Tk 750 a kg, adding that before a fall in cattle price, they could not minimise prices.
Following beef, same thing was found while sear4ching for mutton, broiler, Sonali chicken, cauliflower, brinjal, dates and other products.
Broiler cost Tk 220-230 a kg, Sonali Tk 340-360, mutton Tk 1,100-1,150, brinjal Tk 60-90, cauliflower Tk 40-60, Tk 10-150 a kg higher than that of DAM-fixed rate, according to kitchen markets and groceries.
The Zaidi variety of imported date was fixed at Tk 185 a kg by the DAM, but it was retailed at minimum Tk 300 a kg on the day.
However, onion price has been set at Tk 65 a kg. The price of the spice declined further but still Tk 70-80 a kg on the local market, according to groceries.
DAM director general Masud Karim told the FE that they fixed the prices from farm to wholesale to retail levels after considering all key factors in the total value chain.
He said the DAM would work on it to implement. "But I urged commerce, home affairs ministry and local administration to implement the price rate."
Mr Karim said the price would be reviewed on a regular basis as per the market trend.
Normally, DAM releases a fair price list of key essentials from wholesale to retail levels, and markets are bound to hang the list on their entrances daily.
Md Shofiquzzaman, head of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, told the FE that the DAM did not discuss with them or other agencies concerned before issuing their notification.
"DAM itself has the power to implement its fair price," said Mr Zaman, also an additional secretary to commerce ministry.
He said the DNCRP was already active in the market and we expect DAM will also do its duty by ensuring their presence in the market.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) vice-president SM Nazer Hossain said the DAM fixed prices but they were not present on the market on Saturday.
He said agriculture, commerce, food, home ministry and local administration should immediately start working on the price list collaboratively to give consumers some relief during Ramadan and Eid holidays.
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