OMS flour price rises by Tk 6 per kg

The price of loose flour (atta) sold in the Open Market Sale (OMS) by the government has been increased by Tk 6 per kg, while the price of packaged flour increased by Tk 4.5 per kg.

Confirming the price hike, Food Secretary Ismail Hossain told The Business Post that the new prices would come into effect from November 20.

“We understand that poor people will suffer as a result of this decision. But consumers can still buy it at a price lower than the market price, which is Tk 38 per kg. Even after increasing the prices, we have to pay 55 per cent subsidy,” he said.

Loose flour will be sold at Tk 24 per kg at the consumer level under the OMS programme at selected shops, which was previously Tk 18 per kg. Each two kg packet of flour will be sold at Tk 55, which was previously Tk 46.

A letter has been sent from the Ministry of Food to the Director General of the Food Directorate re-fixing the price of loose and packaged flour sold in the OMS programme On Wednesday.

The flour market has been on the rise for the past few days. According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) data, flour is being sold at Tk 60 to Tk 80 per kg in Dhaka city on Thursday.

The government sells rice and flour under the OMS programme to provide relief to low-income people. One person can buy 5 kg of loose flour from the programme at a time.