Rice price goes up in Hili

Prices of white and parboiled rice are on the rise in the Hili Land Port of Dinajpur despite the continuous import from India.

In the past week, prices have gone up by Tk 2-3 per kg.

According to importers, imports have decreased due to the dollar crisis. Alongside this, the cost of transportation has also increased due to the increase in the price of fuel oil.

Abhishek Agarwala, the owner of Abhishek Enterprise, said traders have reduced rice imports as banks have limited Letters of credit (LC).

“On Wednesday we sold Swarna-5 varieties for Tk 45-46 per kg and sold it for Tk 47-49 per kg on Thursday. Fuel prices have gone up, leading to excess transportation costs,” he said.

Hili Customs C&F Agents Association’s port affairs secretary and importer Rabiul Islam said due to the decrease in rice imports from India, the price of rice has increased slightly. Swampa Katari rice was sold at the rate of Tk 63 per kg on Wednesday but on Thursday it was sold for Tk 66 per kg.

Gholam Rabbani, a representative of the importer M/s Zainal Abedin, said the prices of white rice which is mostly sold in Chattogram and Sylhet have also gone up by Tk 2-3 per kg.

Meanwhile, Hili Customs sources informed that six Indian trucks of 290 tonnes of parboiled rice and 7 Indian trucks of 317 tonnes of white rice were imported through Hili port on Wednesday.