Powdered milk prices have risen sharply in the market month-on-month basis in tandem with the rally in global market, traders concerned said.
The prices of powdered milk, depending on brands, increased by Tk 25-30 per kilogram in the city markets in a month, grocers in the capital said.
Foreign brand Diploma, product of New Zealand Dairy Products Bangladesh surged by 4.7 percent month-on-month to Tk 340 per 400 gm, and Dano, the product of multinational Arla Food Products, was selling at Tk360-365 per 500 gm Thursday, marking a 5.8 percent rise.
Local brand Marks rose 8.5 percent to Tk 250 per 400 gm packet, while Fresh spiked 6 percent at per kg compared to that a month ago.
Among the baby foods, all series of Lactogen (1, 2, 3), products of multinational 'Nestle' increased by Tk 15-20 at per 400 gm jar.
Mijanur Rahman, a grocer at Captan Bazar in the city said Lactozen 1 (400 gm) was sold at Tk 565, Lactozen-2 and 3 at Tk 555---a Tk20 inxrease in per jar.
He said the price of Nido, another baby food of Nestle increased to Tk890 per 800 gm which was Tk860-865 a month ago.
"Prices are going up on the world market due to higher demand than production," Ahmed Kabir, country manager of Arla Foods said.
He said the prices of powdered milk had increased by US $400-$450 at per tonne in last four months and is being sold at $55,00 per tonne in the European market.
He said: "We have increased the price on the second week of March and that is being effective from this month."
He said the current price touched the record of 2007 when powdered milk prices also shoot up to $5,500 per tonne.
Another importer told the FE that a huge demand by Chinese consumers is also responsible for the global price hike.
He also admitted that in many places, specifically in the Oceania, the price of the commodity has started to reduce from the second week of April.
'If this trend continues, we will be able to reduce the price again after three or four months" he said.
According to media reports, powdered milk price (skim) of Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) is hovering between $4100-$4700 per tonne.
According to the Agriculture and Food Security Programme (AFSP) of Brac, currently, Bangladesh requires approximately 12.8 million tonnes of milk.
About 1 million tonnes of this demand is being met by the domestic cattle and buffalo population, another 1 million tonne is being imported, and the rest of the milk demand remains unfulfilled.
Of the total import payment for livestock commodities, the country currently spends nearly 20 per cent for importing dairy commodities, basically for importing powder milk, AFSP said.
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