FE Report
Onion prices went down significantly on Friday compared with those of previous after the arrival of newly harvested crop in the market.
While daily consumed rice prices were stable with maintaining higher price range, aromatic rice witnessed a significant reduction this week, traders said.
Some vegetable prices increased while others reduced slightly. And rest of the commodities prices remained stable.
Onion price has been maintaining a downtrend over the last two weeks thanks to the normal supply chain in the absence of any hartals or blockades called by the opposition political parties.
Newly harvested local variety of onion was sold at Tk30, imported variety at Tk25-28 per kg on Friday against Tk40-45 and Tk32-35 per kg respectively last week, according to many kitchen markets in the city.
"Robust local production, cheaper import cost and a reduction in transportation cost have brought the onion prices down, compared with the prices in the last five years" Alhaz Md Golam Maula, Secretary of Maulovibazar Baboshaee Samity, an association of wholesalers, said.
"Local production of onion is good and import cost has reduced to just US $280-282 per tonne recently. Truck fare has eased to Tk26000-28000 per trip from Tk40000-44000 two weeks back thanks to the end of hartals or blockades," he said.
"The price will further reduce by Tk2-4 per kg in few days if this trend continues", he said.
Prices of different kinds of aromatic rice varieties reduced this week.
Kalijeera varieties were sold at Tk 80-90 per kg, Chinigura at Tk75-90 per kg, Katharibhog at Tk90-100 against Tk100-105, Tk95-100, Tk 100-110 per kg respectively last week.
"Newly milled aromatic rice varieties have entered the market which help reduce prices" Monirul Islam Rasel, a retailer at Choto Katra in the older part of the city said.
Aromatic rice prices decreasedm, but normal rice prices were still higher.
Coarse rice Swarna varieties were sold at Tk34-36, finer varieties Miniket at Tk44-50, Najirshail at Tk44-54, medium varieties of Pariza at Tk42-44, Brridhan-28 at Tk40-42 per kg on Friday---same price compared to last week.
The Department of Agriculture Marketing (DAM) data showed that rice price is 30-32 per cent higher this December compared to that of last year.
"Sugar price (loose) reduced to Tk44-45 per kg on Friday which was Tk46-47 last week thanks to robust supply by the importers and a reduction in truck fare" Masud Ali Millat, joint secretary of Nowabganjbazar Dokan Malik Samity, a business association in the older part of the city said.
Prices of other major commodities including fish, meat, milk, salt, pulse, egg, flour, edible oil, spices (excluding onion), tea were stable on the day compared with the last Friday, traders said.
Few vegetable prices increased while few declined on the day.
Prices of carrot, bitter gourd, brinjal, green banana increased slightly---Tk1-2 at per kg, per piece or per bunch.
Prices of tomato, radish, potato, cabbage, cauliflower, pea seed, onion plant, turnip, bottle gourd etc reduced by Tk 3-10 per kg or per piece, according to the prices of different kitchen markets in the city.
