Rice prices on the rise

FT ONLINE

Prices of rice increased in the capital’s retail markets over the week as a result of increased wholesale prices of the items following imposition 28 per cent import duty on the staple.

The prices of fish and onion also went up in the city’s kitchen markets over the week ending Friday due to supply shortage during Eid vacation. 

Traders said that week after the price hike in wholesale market the retail prices of all varieties of rice increased by Tk 1-3 a kilogram. 

Immediately after the reinstated 28 per cent import duty on rice in the budget for the financial year of 2018-19, importers and mill owners squeezed the supply of the staple and increased wholesale price, they said. 

A kilogram of coarse variety of rice was selling at Tk 43-45 a kg on Friday in the city markets.

The fine variety of Najirshail rice was retailing at Tk 65-70 a kg and its standard variety at Tk 60-65 a kg.

BR-28 rice was retailing at Tk 50-54 a kg, while Miniket was selling at Tk 62-68 a kg. 
The prices of fish also increased over the week.

Rohita was selling at Tk 250-350 a kg, katla at Tk 200-300 a kg, Pangas at Tk 120-170 a kg and Tilapia at Tk 120-180 a kg, depending on their size and quality.
The prices of onion rose by Tk 5-10 a kg.

The local variety of onions was selling at Tk 45-50 a kg, while the imported variety at Tk 30-35 a kg.

The prices of garlic remained unchanged over the week and garlic imported from China was retailing at Tk 90-100 a kg, while its local variety was selling at Tk 60-70 a kg. Garlic imported from India was selling at Tk 70-80 a kg on Friday.

The prices of vegetables remained unchanged in the city markets.

Aubergine was selling at Tk 50-60 a kg, papaya at Tk 40 a kg, bitter gourds at Tk 40-60 a kg, okra at Tk 30-40 a kg, palwal at Tk 40-50 a kg, cucumber at Tk 40-60 a kg, tomato at Tk 80-100 a kg and each piece of bottle gourd at Tk 50 on Friday.

The price of green chilli remained stable, retailing at Tk 80-100 a kg.

The local variety of red lentil was selling at Tk 120 a kg, while the coarse variety of imported red lentil was retailing at Tk 70-80 a kg over the week.

The price of eggs remained unchanged and was selling at Tk 24-30 a hali (four pieces) in the city markets on Friday.

A one-litre container of soya bean oil was selling at Tk 105-107, while a five-litre container at Tk 515-540.

Unpacked soya bean oil was selling at Tk 98 a kg, while palm oil was retailing at Tk 85 a kg.

The prices of ginger remained unchanged with its local variety selling at Tk 80-90 a kg and the imported variety at Tk 100-120 a kg.

The prices of sugar remained unchanged and the refined and imported sugar was selling at Tk 60-65 a kg, while the locally produced sugar was selling at Tk 70-75 a kg in most of the Dhaka markets on the day.

Fine-quality packaged salt was selling at Tk 38 a kg, while the refined variety of salt was retailing at Tk 25 a kg.