Cheaper than last year

Prices of rice, both coarse and fine, have dropped in wholesale and retail markets of Dinajpur this Ramadan.

Last year, the rice price began to increase with the start of Ramadan.

The price of a 50kg bag of fine rice has come down to Tk 400-550 in the wholesale market, while the price of the same amount of coarse rice has gone down to Tk 100-150.

In the retail market, prices of the fine rice have dropped by Tk 8 and Tk 10 a kg. Prices of the coarse rice have decreased by Tk 2 a kg.

Traders of wholesale markets in Dinajpur said prices of each 50kg bag of fine rice -- BR-28 and miniket -- fell by around Tk 400 and Tk 550 respectively, while prices of coarse rice like Suman Swarna, Guti Swarna and hybrid dropped by Tk 100 to 150.

During visits to different wholesale and retail markets, including Gudri Bazar and Bahadur Bazar in Dinajpur municipality, in the last two days, this correspondent found that a 50kg bag of BR-28 rice was sold at Tk 1,950, which was Tk 2,350 before Ramadan began. Besides, prices of the same amount of miniket rice went down to Tk 2,350 from Tk 2,900.

In the retail market, prices of BR-28 and miniket rice have dropped by Tk 8 and Tk 10 a kg respectively. Prices of the rice varieties were earlier Tk 47 and Tk 58 respectively.  

In the wholesale market, a 50kg bag of hybrid rice is being sold at Tk 1,600, which was sold at Tk 1,700 earlier. In the retail market, it is being sold at Tk 32 a kg.

Besides, each bag of Suman Swarna rice is being sold at Tk 1,850 in the wholesale market. The price was earlier Tk 2,000. In the retail market, the rice is being sold at Tk 37 a kg.

Price of a bag of Guti Swarna rice has come down to Tk 1,720 from 1,820 in the wholesale market. Each kg of the rice is now available at Tk 35 in the retail market.

Md Jabed, a wholesale rice trader at Bahadur Bazar, said rice price started falling on the first day of Ramadan.

The trader said rice price would remain stable throughout this Ramadan as Boro paddy harvesting was going on in the district. The government was also procuring rice, while traders were importing rice from India, he added.