Rice price stubbornly high despite lower transport fare

FE Team | Published: January 25, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

FE Report
Rice prices on Friday saw a further rise even after reduction in transport costs.
onion prices, however, reduced slightly this week compared with the last week.
Potato prices hit a two-year low and other vegetable prices also marked a downtrend while other commodities remained stable, traders said.
Despite having a normal supply chain and reducing rate of truck fare, prices of different varieties of rice has increased by Tk1-2 per kg on Friday.
Traders in the city attributed the higher price to the millers saying that the prices have increased in the mill gates.
Coarse rice Swarna varieties were sold at Tk 35-37 per kg on the day which was Tk34-35 per kg seven days back.
Brridhan-28 variety prices increased to Tk44-45 per kg, a Tk 2 increase at per kg on Friday comparing that of its previous day.
Prices of Miniket varieties also witnessed a Tk 2 increase and were sold between Tk45-50 per kg.
Prices of Najirshail and Pariza varieties remained stagnant and were sold at Tk52-56 and Tk44-45 per kg respectively, according to key kitchen markets in the capital.
When asked, Md Rafiqul Amin Sarder, a rice trader at Badamtoli in the city admitted that truck fare has reduced to Tk 25,000-Tk 26,000 to carry minimum 15 tonnes of rice, which was Tk37000-Tk38000 during the hartal and blockade days.
He said rice prices have increased in mill gates in the rice growing hubs prompting them to follow the present price ranges.
Another trader at the same area said with the end of the rice stocks which were brought last month, the price may reduce in the wholesale in Dhaka.
According to the state run Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM), prices of rice is 30-32 per cent higher this year compared to that of last year.
Meanwhile, imported onion price reduced by Tk2-3 per kg on the day and was sold at Tk25 per kg. Local onion price was Tk30 per kg, almost same price range compared to that of last week.
Potato (newly harvested) prices marked a two year low as it reduced to Tk10 per kg attributed to the massive downtrend of the produce in the farm level, DAM official data revealed.
Stored potato sold at only Tk8 per kg on Friday compared to tk12 per kg a week back.
Tomato, another winter vegetable prices reduced to Tk18-20(local) which was Tk30-35 per kg last week.
Few vegetable prices including carrot, leaf vegetables, bitter gourd increased by Tk1-2 per kg, per piece or per bunch.
Prices of radish, cabbage, brinjal, cauliflower, pea seed, onion plant, turnip etc reduced by Tk2-4 per kg or per piece, according to the prices of different kitchen markets in the city.
Prices of other major commodities including fish, meats, milk, sugar, salt, pulse, egg, flour, edible oils, spices, tea were stable on the day, traders said.