Government sets prices of 29 food items
The move aimed at reining in price spiral during Ramadan; experts doubt its effectiveness
Despite failure to enforce the price caps on some daily essentials in recent times, the government has once again fixed the prices of 29 commodities from producer to consumer level.
The Department of Agricultural Marketing in a circular yesterday fixed the prices of the commodities, including red lentils, chickpeas, egg, onion, potato, broiler chicken and beef, and asked the traders of all levels to sell the items at the fixed prices.
The prices took effect immediately and will remain in force until further directives, said the circular.
According to the circular, the price of red lentils (large) was fixed at Tk 96.5 per kg at producer level, Tk 100 at wholesale and Tk 105.5 at retail level.
The item now sells for Tk 120 per kg at different kitchen markets.
The department fixed the wholesale price of chickpeas at Tk 93.5 per kg and retail price at Tk 98, down from the current retail price of Tk 120.
At retail level, the price of local onion has been fixed at Tk 65 per kg, potatoes at Tk 28.5 per kg, egg at Tk 10.50 per piece, green chillies at Tk 60 per kg, broiler chicken at Tk 175 per kg and beef at Tk 664 per kg.
On September 14 last year, the government fixed the prices of eggs, onions and potatoes after the prices of those essentials shot up. However, the authorities concerned could not enforce the price caps despite raids by different government agencies in different wholesale and retail markets.
Ghulam Rahman, president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), said the process of fixing commodity prices by the government is no longer effective.
"What is more important is that the supply is increased and the costs at producer and wholesale levels are reduced. Otherwise, fixing the prices of some products won't work," he observed.
On March 11, the commerce ministry fixed the price of dates, one of the key items for iftar. The price of low-grade dates was fixed at Tk 150 to Tk 165 per kg. However, traders did not follow the rate.
Visiting Shewrapara, Ibrahimpur, Kochukhet, and Karwan Bazar kitchen markets in the capital yesterday, The Daily Star found that retailers were selling the cheapest dates for Tk 200 a kg. However, the quality of the dates was not good.
Traders said they were unable to purchase dates at the government-set rate.
Akhter Hossain, proprietor of Modina Fruits Collection at Kochukhet kitchen market, said he was selling dates for Tk 300-Tk1,800 a kg, depending on varieties.
The Daily Star also found that the prices of local and imported fruits increased by Tk 20-50 a kg.
A kg of apple (gala) was being sold for Tk 360-380, up from Tk 320-340 last week; malta for Tk 360-380, up from Tk 320-330; grape for Tk 280-300, up from Tk 240-260, and papaya for Tk 160-200, up from Tk 140-180.
The prices of oranges and pears have also surged by Tk 10-20 per kg, according to traders.
Kanu Miah, a fruit seller at Kochukhet kitchen market, said customers blamed them for increased prices.
"The price fluctuation is not within our control. When our purchase prices increase, we are forced to sell fruits at higher prices," he said.
The price of potatoes has gone up by Tk 5 per kg compared to last week. Yesterday, potatoes were sold for Tk 35-40 a kg, up from Tk 30-35.
Although the prices of some essentials including onions, aubergine, lemon, green chillies and coriander leaves have come down, those were still being sold at prices higher than those fixed by the government.
Jahid Hossain, a vegetable seller at Karwan Bazar, said the prices of some vegetables have dropped as the demand has decreased.
"Once the demand increases, the prices will go up again," he said.