Vermicelli makers in overdrive for Eid
With Eid-ul-Fitr knocking at the door, vermicelli (semai in Bangla) makers in Chattogram city are having a busy time.
Vermicelli is a widely popular dessert item, served commonly consumed by people from all walks of life on Eid day.
There are two types of vermicelli – regular and laccha. Regular vermicelli is produced using flour and water, while laccha is produced with oil or ghee, flour, sugar and water.
Vermicelli traders in the port city' Chaktai, Rajakhali and Chawkbazar areas said their profits have been curtailed due to high prices of flour, gas and electricity, alongside extra payment to the workers, putting the traditional profession at risk.
Visiting Rajakhali area, this correspondent saw workers at several factories drying vermicelli on rooftops.
"Vermicelli business has become more challenging as big companies are also producing item while prices of ingredients are on the rise sharply. We mainly target lower-income people in the port city and upazilas," said Md Akbar Hossain, owner of a factory.
"So far we sold 2,500 buckets of vermicelli, each weighing 35 kilogrammes, which is a lower quantity compared to previous years," he added.
SM Harunor Rashid, a leader of Chaktai Industries and Traders Association, said there are around 10-15 vermicelli factories located in Chaktai-Rajakhali-Khatunganj areas where around 10,000 to 15,000 buckets of vermicelli used to be produce every Ramadan, with the demand increasingly sharply two or three days ahead of Eid.
Meanwhile, a section of unscrupulous businessmen in the port city are busy manufacturing sub-standard vermicelli, using unrefined palm oil, animal fat, and even toxic chemicals and colours, to cash on its high demand ahead of Eid, he alleged.
While all factory owners have been asked to maintain healthy conditions and using proper ingredients to produce the food item at the factories, it is difficult to monitor everyone, Harun added.
Comments