Many return empty-handed as demand for essentials outstrips supply

All were not able to buy meat, chicken, milk and eggs from mobile shops, run by the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock in the capital, as the demand for these essential commodities outpaced the supply.

Many people who returned home empty-handed demanded that the government should increase the number of mobile shops as well as the quantity of products.

Department of Livestock started selling essential items at cheap rates in 20 places in the capital from last Thursday. Beef is being sold at Tk640 per kg (market price Tk750 per kg), goat meat at Tk940 per kg (market price Tk1,100), dressed broiler chicken at Tk340 per kg, milk at Tk80 per litre (market price Tk90) and eggs at Tk10 per piece (market price Tk12).

Last year ten shops in the capital sold beef at Tk550 per kg, goat meat at Tk800 per kg, dressed broiler at Tk200 per kg, milk at Tk60 per litre and each egg at Tk7.50.

Consumers were seen crowding the mobile sales centres to buy products on Saturday. The sales centres saw more middle class people than low income people. Many could not buy products as expected because the demand outpaced the supply.

Some buyers say that the prices should be kept lower than that of the market because prices are beyond the buying capacity of low income people. Due to the price hike of meat, milk and eggs this year compared to last year, many people are now unable to buy these products, they said.

Visiting to Nayabazar in the capital around 2pm, it was found that the stock of beef, chicken and eggs ran out. Though there were only 40-50 litres of milk, over a hundred buyers were waiting in the queue.

Seller Md. Raihan said he started selling 150 litres of milk, 70 kg of beef, 50 kg of chicken meat and 1200 eggs at 10am on Saturday. “Almost all products except milk are sold out. Although the amount of beef increased by 20 kg on Saturday compared to Friday, it was sold in a few hours.”

Abdul Alim, a buyer, said that he could not buy many products as per expectation. “One can buy maximum 1 kg of meat and 1 dozen eggs. Everyone cannot get these items. Only 50-70 people can buy beef. People’s demand is little bit higher on the occasion of Ramadan. So, the quantity of products needs to be increased.”

Depending on the spots, the quantity of the products was slightly higher. Some 100 kg of beef, 70-80 kg of dressed broiler chicken, 2,200 eggs, 200 litres of milk and 7-8 kg of mutton are sold daily at farm gate.

Dr. SM Ziaul Haque, an officer at Directorate of Livestock, told The Business Post that the number of mobile sales centres is increasing. Meat, chicken, eggs and milk have been sold out for a few hours in the last two days since Friday.

People demand more products. The demand especially for beef and eggs is very high at these shops. Many people come to buy even after sale ends, but as our products are limited, it is not possible to sell them to everyone,” he added.

At Segunbagicha spot, the stock of products ran out just in one and half an hours on Saturday. Many people expressed disappointment without getting any products.

Altaf Hossain, a local coconut seller said, “I came to buy meat after hearing that it was being sold at low price. But the stock ran out before I arrived there.”

Vegetable seller Toufiq Hasan said that he could only buy half a kg of meat as he did not have enough money. “Poor people like us cannot afford to buy meat.”

Bangladesh Dairy Farmers Association is supporting Department of Livestock with products.

President of the organisation Mohammad Imran Hossain said production and transportation costs have increased due to price hike of fuel oils.

“We are still discounting every product. We cannot provide this service to two crore people of Dhaka. Big businessmen also need to take such initiative.”