TCB to supply enough items to keep Ramadan market stable

The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) is set to intervene in the kitchen market with adequate stock of essential commodities aiming to keep their prices within the commoners' reach during the month of holy Ramadan, officials said.

"Our stock of essential commodities is adequate. We are in good preparation to help keep their prices stable during the holy month," TCB spokesperson Humayun Kabir told the FE Sunday.

He said sale of sugar, edible oil, lentil, and gram will start this week in divisional cities. The selling will be carried out by a total of 174 trucks, of which 25 will operate in Dhaka, 10 in Chittagong, 5 each in other divisional headquarters, and 2 each in 57 districts.

Besides, the TCB dealers will also sell the commodities.

Mr Kabir said 150 tonnes of dates, one of the essential commodities during the fasting month of Ramadan, would reach Chittagong port early next week.

Officials said presently there were some 3,441 tonnes of sugar in the TCB warehouse, while procurement of 5,000 tonnes more from Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) was underway.

They said at present the TCB warehouse had a stock of 4,443 tonnes of edible oil, while process was underway to import 2,000 tonnes more.

In the TCB warehouse, there is a stock of some 3,121 tonnes of lentil. Some 1,500 tonnes of gram are at delivery stage from Chittagong port to the warehouse.

Sources said the ministry of commerce (MoC) was yet to finalise the prices of the commodities the TCB would sell during and before the holy month.

The TCB recently sent a proposal to MoC fixing sugar price per kilogramme (kg) at Tk 39, lentil (Turkey, Canada, and Egypt) at Tk 65 per kg, lentil (Nepal) Tk 115 per kg, unpacked soybean oil at Tk 93 per litre, bottled soybean oil per litre between Tk 99 and Tk 107, and palm oil at Tk 99 per litre.

Besides, the corporation proposed the selling price of gram at Tk 44 per kg, and date at Tk 70 per kg.

Last year during the holy month of Ramadan, TCB sold 7,008 tonnes of sugar, 1,459 tonnes of edible oil, 2,457 tonnes of lentil, 1,504 tonnes of gram, and 60 tonnes of date to keep their prices stable in the market.

Presently, in the kitchen market per litre unpacked soybean oil is selling for between Tk 97 and Tk 101, bottled soybean oil between Tk 109 and Tk 112; lentil between Tk 75 and Tk 115 per kg, gram between Tk 55 and Tk 60, sugar between Tk 45 and Tk 46, and date between Tk 90 and Tk 150 per kg.