Rice prices marked further rise at mill gates following an increase in paddy prices, triggering fresh sufferings for the fixed-income group of people.
Millers and traders said prices are unlikely to decline before the Boro harvest.
Prices of different varieties of rice have increased by Tk 2.00-3.00 per kilogram (kg) at mill gates over the last ten days in Dinajpur, Rangpur, Kushtia, Joypurhat and Naogaon, 'mokam' (local agricultural market) sources said.
Coarse rice such as Swarna (Guti) was selling at Tk 31.25-31.75 per kg while its price was Tk 29.50-30.75 ten days back at the mill gates.
On the other hand, the prices of Brridhan-28, the most popular rice in the country, went up by Tk 3.00 per kg to the range of Tk 39.50-40.00 per kg at mill gates in the districts.
Miniket and Paijam, two finer varieties, were sold at Tk 46-50 and Tk 42-43 per kg respectively at mill gates, an increase by Tk 2.00-3.00 in a week.
However, the prices at mill gates have started to affect that of the cities. Prices of finer varieties have increased by 7.0 to 10 per cent while those of coarse varieties are likely to increase again, retailers said.
"The Miniket rice, most preferred by Dhaka inhabitants, ranged between Tk 48 and Tk 54 per kg, up by Tk 2.00-3.00 at the retail level in a week," Abdul Momin, a retailer at Nawabganj Bazar in the old part of Dhaka city said.
He said prices of coarse varieties like Swarna is stable but will increase when the present stock is finished.
Md Mutalib Hossain Talukder, proprietor of MHT Rice Mill in Naogaon Sadar upazila, told the FE that paddy prices have increased significantly in a month.
Miniket paddy prices increased to Tk 1,120-1,150 per maund which was Tk 920-950 per maund two weeks back.
He said Swarna paddy price increased by nearly Tk 100-150 per maund in just one week, he said.
Bangladesh Auto, Major and Husking Mills Owners' Association (BAMHMOA) joint convener Shohidur Rahman Patwary (Mohon) told the FE that the price might not come down before starting of Boro harvest.
He said supply of paddy has reduced significantly which is the key reason behind the hike.
He also pointed out that unnecessary import of rice has forced many mills to close their operation.
"Private importers are now dominating the market. Import should be stopped for the betterment of the rice sector and also for the Boro farmers," he said.
Secretary of Consumers' Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan told the FE that the increase will further add to the sufferings of the limited-income group of people.
He said the government's OMS (Open Market Sale) programme should be expanded further to safeguard the common people.
The country's rice production was 33.77 million tonnes in fiscal year (FY) 2013. Total demand for rice is nearly 31.0 million tonnes, according to the Directorate General of Food (DGoF).
The government has a stock of about 1.09 million tonnes of foodgrains. Of the amount, rice is 0.82 million tonnes and wheat 0.283 million tonnes in the public warehouses.
