Vegetable producers, consumers bear brunt of middlemen's price manipulation
Monday, 2 July 2007
Our Correspondent
CHITTAGONG, July 1: The local vegetable producers are not getting fair prices of their produces and the consumers are being compelled to buy the items at exorbitant prices due to the manipulation by corrupt middlemen to earn windfall profits.
The prices of various vegetables increase by Tk 8 to 10 per kg on average on the way from the farmers fields to the consumers. Prices of some vegetable items are even doubled.
The products change hands three to four times from the places of production to the city markets, and the 'forias' or middlemen realise Tk four to Tk five per kg on each transaction, sources said.
It is not only depriving the genuine producers from getting proper prices, but also adversely affecting the price level of the produces in the city markets. The buyers are becoming the worst victims of this phenomenon.
Some syndicates are allegedly involved in increasing the prices of vegetables abnormally, and making the local vegetable market unstable.
Major portion of the vegetables, sold in the port-city, is transported from Dohazari, Sitakunda, Hatazari and Mirsarai upazilas.
Concerned sources said, in most of the cases the middlemen buy the vegetables in lots while those were being brought to the local markets for re-selling these gradually to the whole sellers and then the small traders. Besides, transport charge, tips to various quarters, and other expenses are also added with the market prices of vegetables.
At the end, the local consumers have to buy vegetables at higher rates.
CHITTAGONG, July 1: The local vegetable producers are not getting fair prices of their produces and the consumers are being compelled to buy the items at exorbitant prices due to the manipulation by corrupt middlemen to earn windfall profits.
The prices of various vegetables increase by Tk 8 to 10 per kg on average on the way from the farmers fields to the consumers. Prices of some vegetable items are even doubled.
The products change hands three to four times from the places of production to the city markets, and the 'forias' or middlemen realise Tk four to Tk five per kg on each transaction, sources said.
It is not only depriving the genuine producers from getting proper prices, but also adversely affecting the price level of the produces in the city markets. The buyers are becoming the worst victims of this phenomenon.
Some syndicates are allegedly involved in increasing the prices of vegetables abnormally, and making the local vegetable market unstable.
Major portion of the vegetables, sold in the port-city, is transported from Dohazari, Sitakunda, Hatazari and Mirsarai upazilas.
Concerned sources said, in most of the cases the middlemen buy the vegetables in lots while those were being brought to the local markets for re-selling these gradually to the whole sellers and then the small traders. Besides, transport charge, tips to various quarters, and other expenses are also added with the market prices of vegetables.
At the end, the local consumers have to buy vegetables at higher rates.