TCB fails to add dates to OMS programme

The state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has failed to add date to its open market sale (OMS) programme until Wednesday, leading to price hike of the item in the market ahead of holy Ramadan.  
However, TCB officials acknowledged that it all happened for failure of a private supplier in delivering the required quantity of dates on time.    
Hundreds of consumers returned home frustrated as date was yet to be added to the TCB- run sales centres.
Date is one of the most sought -after essentials in the holy month because Muslims usually break their fast with dates.
The demand for dates normally goes up 15 times during the holy month, according to the Directorate General of Food (DGoF).
DGoF data showed the total requirement for date is 25,000-26,000 tonnes annually of which 15,000 tonnes are needed only in the Ramadan.
To give the limited- income consumers some relief from the wrath of the high prices of commodities, the government every year sells some key items at cheaper rates compared to that of formal markets through Open Market Sale (OMS) by TCB.
TCB normally starts selling most of the items two weeks before the beginning of Ramadan while the dates five-seven days before. But the tradition is going to be broken this year.
Md Anisul Islam, an office assistant at a private bank came to the OMS centre in front of the Bangladesh Bank on Wednesday noon to buy essentials.
Talking to the FE he said the quality of sugar, chickpea and lentil is very good this year.
"But it is unfortunate that we will not be able to break our fast with TCB supplied 'dates' on the first day of Ramadan this year," he said.
"The Ramadan is likely to begin from Friday and the dealers are telling us that it would not be possible to deliver the item even on the first day of Ramadan," he added.   
He also said date of normal quality is selling at Tk180-250 per kilogram now which was much lower last year.
However, TCB website showed present price of date in the key markets in Dhaka are 25 per cent higher compared to that of last year.
A TCB official said the private company that was contracted to deliver dates, has supplied the fruit which was not similar to the sample given during the contract.
To avoid any dislocation in delivering quality dates during Ramadan to the consumers, the corporation has asked the company to supply dates as per sample.
He said date might not be added to OMS trucks before Friday (tentatively 1st Ramadan).  
When contacted, Deputy Senior Officer (import) of TCB Md Abul Hasnat Chowdhury said there was no mismatch between the sample and delivered dates.
However, a spokesperson of TCB Md Humayun Kabir admitted that there was a problem which has delayed the inclusion of date in the TCB truck.
He said the company --'Niketon Food Products' was contracted to deliver 30 tonnes of date.
"The company has told us that they are delaying the supply for some of their internal problems," he said.  
TCB announced selling of five essential commodities -- sugar, edible oil, pulse, chickpea (gram) and date -- in the open market through designated dealers from June 1.
The city dwellers are buying sugar at Tk 37 per kg, lentil at Tk103 per kg, chickpea at Tk53 per kg and bottled soybean oil at Tk 88-89 per litre.
Price of date has been fixed at Tk 80 per kg but it is yet to be sold from OMS truck.
TCB is selling the essential items in different parts of the country using 174 trucks.
Of them, 25 are in Dhaka, 10 in Chittagong, five in each of the divisional cities and two in each of district towns of the country.
In Dhaka, per truck has been allotted 500-700 kgs of chickpea, 500 kgs of sugar, lentil 200 kgs, soybean 500 litre and dates 100 kgs, according to TCB.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com