Rice, chicken, fish prices rise post-Eid

Prices of different rice varieties have increased by Tk 3-Tk 5 per kg in the capital over the last two weeks even though the country is in the middle of the harvesting season.

Besides, a variety of chicken, popularly known as Shonali, now costs Tk 50 to Tk 60 per kg more, compared to last week.

The price of broiler chicken, however, has not changed.

Traders at kitchen markets in Karwan Bazar, Shewrapara, Kazipara, Ibrahimpur, Mirpur-11 and Mohammadpur Krishi Market said rice prices increased at wholesale markets first and then at the retail shops.

Kamal Hossain, proprietor of Mugbul Rice Agency at Mirpur-11, yesterday said he sold different varieties of miniket rice at Tk 75 to Tk 85 a kg, up from Tk 70 to Tk 82 a week earlier.

BR-28 rice variety was sold for Tk 60 to Tk 65 a kg, compared to Tk 56-62 last week, he said.

The Guti and Shorna varieties of coarse rice were sold at Tk 55 to Tk 58, compared to last week's Tk 52-56, he added.

Alamgir Hossain, manager of Krishi Bhandar at Mohammadpur Krishi Market, one of the capital's biggest wholesale rice markets, said the price hike was unusual in the middle of a harvesting season.

The price of a 50kg sack of rice has increased by Tk 150-Tk 200 after Eid, he said.

He blamed a cartel of rice mill owners and several large businesses for "manipulating the market".

Chitta Majumder, adviser of Bangladesh Rice Mill Owners Association, said paddy prices rose across the country, affecting the rice prices.

He added that he had bought Jira nazir paddy at Tk 1,730 per maund yesterday. It was Tk 1,550 before Eid.

The yield of paddy has been good this year, he said. But a handful of mill owners had brought enormous amounts of paddy, gaining significant control over the market.

Meanwhile, Enamul Haque, a chicken trader at Karwan Bazar, said Shonali chicken prices rose probably because demands have increased after the Eid.

During Eid, people eat red meat a lot and for a while, the demand for chicken falls, he said.

At the fish market, the prices of each kg of hilsa, shrimp and ayer have increased by Tk 100-Tk 200 per kg while of rohu and katla increased by Tk 20-Tk 50 per kg.

Several traders at Karwan Bazar said as the demand for vegetables had yet to reach the pre-Eid levels, the prices remained low for many items.