Home ›› 10 Mar 2023 ›› Front
Though the government conducted mobile court drives to rein in the chicken, meat and egg prices, there was no impact on the kitchen market in the capital city.
The prices of these main protein sources still remain high.
The price of chickens, including broiler and sonali-breed, increased further this week. Broiler chicken price hit Tk260-265 per kg while that of sonali chickens Tk360-365 per kg. The prices were Tk140-150 and Tk340-350 per kg respectively one week ago.
The prices of farm eggs increased slightly in the wholesale market after stable in a couple of week, but it remained stable at retail level.
The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) said excessive profits made by wholesale market traders are responsible for the increase in the prices of chickens and eggs. Chickens are being sold at Tk160-170 per kg at farm level but prices increased by about Tk100 per kg at wholesale and retail level.
The prices of other essentials, including rice, pulses, edible oil, meat, chickpea, fish and meat, remained at previous high.
On the other hand, the supply of sugar increased this week, but prices remained at previous high.
Visiting various kitchen markets in the capital, including Segunbagicha and Karwan Bazar, farm eggs sold at Tk130-135 per dozen on Thursday.
Nor-e-Alam, an egg retailer at Segunbagicha said, “We sold farm eggs at previous prices but prices of eggs increased by Tk10-20 per 100 pieces at wholesale market within one day.
It is being sold at more than Tk1,000 per 100 pieces at Kaptanbazar on Thursday, which was Tk980-990 on Wednesday.”
Broiler chickens sold at Tk260-265 per kg in this kitchen market on Thursday, which was Tk140-150 per kg last week, while sonali breed chickens are being sold at Tk360-365 per kg while it was at Tk340-350 per kg last week.
DNCRP Director General A H M Shafiquzzaman said, “We have conducted mobile courts in various markets for the last one week. We have seen that wholesale traders are most responsible for increasing the prices of chicken, meat and eggs.”
“We have asked them for an explanation for price rise. If the explanation is not satisfactory, we will cancel the committee of the markets,” he added.
However, sugar crisis has been partially resolved this week as supply of loose sugar in the kitchen markets of the capital has increased. The price has not come down rather it is being sold at the same higher price as before despite import duty cut to bring down the price.
Loose white sugar sold at Tk120 per kg at retail level on Thursday.
Mustafizur Rahman, a retailer at Shantinagar kitchen market said, till last week there was an extreme sugar crisis in the market. This week the supply of sugar has increased in the wholesale markets, so the supply in the retail market is also increasing.”
“One sack of sugar (50 kg) is being sold at Tk5500 at wholesale markets, including Moulvibazar in the capital. If you add Tk200 for labour and transportation, the price of sugar will be Tk114 per kg, so we can’t sell for less than Tk120 per kg with our profit,” he added.
Retailers said sales of Ramadan essentials have not started so far. So, the prices of rice, meat, pulses and edible oil remain unchanged this week.
Red meat sold at Tk750-1150 per kg while palm oil and soybean at Tk145-190 per litre, but lentil prices remain unchanged at Tk100-140 per kg. The price of green chilli dropped by Tk20 per kg this week, and sold at Tk120-140 per kg on Thursday. It was Tk140-160 per kg last week.
