The volatility in commodity market continued this week. Although there was no let up in the activities of related organizations including duty exemption to control the market during Ramadan. The prices of most products went up as usual in the market.
Besides, most of the traders are not even selling the products at the government fixed prices. In this situation, the price of rice has increased again.
On Saturday, visiting different markets of the capital, this correspondent found the following prices of daily commodities. BR-28, Paijam, Guti Swarna and Miniket rice increased by about Tk 2 to Tk 3 per kg and up to Tk 100 per bag (50 kg) in the market of the capital.
The traders said the price of rice had gone up to Tk 6 per kg in January. After that it was stable for a month and a half with a slight decrease. Now the price of rice has increased from Tk 50 to Tk 100 per bag (50kg) at the mills gate.
On this day, Swarna rice bags (50 kg) were sold in the market from Tk 2,300 to Tk 2,400. The price of miniket rice has increased the most. A 25 kg sack of miniket sold at Tk 1,550 in the market was sold at Tk 1,700 on this day. Similarly, the price of Paijam rice increased by about Tk 3 per kg and was sold at Tk 53 to Tk 54.
In 7 days, the price of poor coarse rice and medium and fine rice has been increased by Tk 100 to Tk 200 per sack (50 kg). As a result, prices are increasing in the wholesale and retail markets. In such a situation, the people who work hard to buy one kg of coarse rice have to spend Tk 54 to Tk 56.
As a result, low income people have suffered endlessly. It was reported that talking to the concerned people on Saturday. On this day, in Naogaon and Dinajpur, Swarna variety rice was sold for Tk 2,400 per sack of coarse rice. It was sold for Tk 2,200, 7 days ago. Besides, medium size BR-28 rice is sold at Tk 2,400 per bag. It was Tk 2,300, before 7 days. Each sack of miniket rice is sold at Tk 3,200, which was previously sold for Tk 3,100.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) President Golam Rahman said, "Millers are always waiting for opportunities. By creating an artificial shortage of rice on any pretext, the price increases. That happened this time too. So steps should be taken now to control the price. If not, the buyer will suffer to buy rice in the market."
Siddiqur Rahman, owner of Allahardan Rice Agency in Kawran Bazar of the capital and a wholesale rice trader, said that the prices of all types of rice have been increased at mills level without any reason. Now is the month of Ramadan. People buy less rice in this month. Sales are low. The price is also low. But this time its the opposite. The millers are manipulating the holy Ramadan. Rice is being sold from the mills level by increasing the price by Tk 100 to Tk 200 per bag. Thats why it has to be sold at a higher price.
He said, "Guti swarna variety rice is being sold at Tk 2,450 per bag of coarse rice due to higher price. Which I sold 7 days ago for Tk 2,350. Besides, we are selling sacks of BR-28 rice at wholesale for Tk 2,600, which was Tk 2,500, before 7 days. And the bag of miniket rice has to be sold at Tk 3,300, which was Tk 3,200 earlier."
He also said that rice is not being supplied from the mills gate for several days. Less than the amount of rice being ordered. Creating a kind of artificial crisis is driving up prices.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, the Auto Rice Mills Owners Association sources said there is a disruption in the production of rice from paddy. So there is a little supply shortage. Besides, the government buys rice and sells it at various subsidized prices and gives it to the common people under support programmes. Due to which the price is increasing comparatively.
Owner and retail rice seller of Khalek Rice Agency in Malibag kitchen market Didar Hossain said, the millers are manipulating the rice price again. As a result, they have to buy at a higher price and sell at a higher price from the wholesale level.
He said, at the retail level, among the coarse rice, guti swarna variety rice is being sold at Tk 52 to Tk 54 per kg, which was Tk 50 to Tk 52, before 7 days. Miniket is being sold at Tk 70 per kg which was Tk 67 to Tk 68 earlier.
Babubazar is the largest wholesale rice market in the capital. When asked, General Secretary of Babubazar Rice Traders Association, Mohammad Nizam Uddin told the Daily Observer, "Usually every year, there is some difference in the price of rice at the end of the season."
Anisul Islam, a private service holder, told this correspondent, "Although the price of rice was high, it remained fixed in one place. Now increasing the price has become a cause of panic for us. In the last two years, my salary has increased by only Tk 1,000, but expenses have increased by Tk 8,000 to Tk 10,000. In this situation, you have to be very smart to manage the family expenses."k
