Eggs finally below Tk12 apiece; sugar, rice prices still rising
Sugar sells at Tk145-150, Bri 28 rice Tk54-55 a kg
The prices of eggs, potatoes and vegetables have dropped slightly in the span of a week, but the prices of rice and sugar have increased again.
Egg prices have finally come down to less than Tk11 apiece in the kitchen markets, marking a price lower than the government fixed rate of Tk12 apiece.
The price of eggs increased drastically at the beginning of August with one piece selling for Tk15, prompting the government to fix it at Tk12 in September.
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On Friday, a dozen farm eggs sold for Tk130 [Tk10.83 apiece] in Karwan Bazar, compared to Tk140 last week. However, local shops were selling a dozen eggs at Tk135-145.
Mohammad Sahadat, an egg seller at Karwan Bazar, told The Business Standard that the price of eggs had decreased by Tk10 per dozen and he was selling a dozen eggs for Tk130.
However, the price of sugar and rice has increased over the last week.
Prices of both loose and packed sugar have reached Tk145-150 per kg --- ignoring the written price as Tk135 --- up by Tk10 from Tk135-Tk140 per kg a week ago.
Anwar Hossain, a sugar seller in Kalyanpur, said the hike in sugar prices is due to a sudden increase in wholesale prices.
Ten days ago, the National Board of Revenue reduced the import duty on sugar by half, yet the price did not decrease in the retail market.
The product has also become difficult to find even at higher prices.
Mohammad Hanif from Rampura was looking for sugar in one shop after another in Karwan Bazar.
"I went to five shops and did not get sugar. I will have to keep looking," he said.
Mohammad Abdullah, a seller of M/S Salman Traders in Karwan Bazar, said, "Even though the price is written as Tk135 per kg on the packet, the wholesalers were asking for Tk137 per kg. We did not buy sugar after it ran out."
"Often the magistrate comes and fines us for selling sugar at a price higher than the fixed rate, so sugar is not available in many shops," he added.
In the last week, the wholesale price of sugar per 50 kg sack has increased by Tk450. Now, a 50 kg sack is Tk6,850, which was Tk6,400 a week ago.
Data from the government agency Trading Corporation of Bangladesh shows that the price of sugar was Tk110-115 per kg a year ago.
Rice price rises by Tk1-6
The price of rice has increased by Tk1-6 in the kitchen markets.
Mohammad Khokon, a retail rice seller in Karwan Bazar, told TBS that the prices of coarse rice and fine rice have increased by Tk5-6 and Tk1-1.5 respectively in a week.
He was selling Bri 28 rice, known as medium rice, for Tk54-55 per kg, which was Tk48-50 last week.
Another rice seller, Mohammad Fazor Ali, said a month ago a 50kg bag of Bri 28 rice was bought for Tk2,300, which is now Tk2,650.
"Rice which was bought at Tk46 per kg from wholesale, now has to be bought at Tk53. If we do not sell at Tk55, we cannot make much profit," he added.
