Rice price are hiking over the course of the week.The start of the epidemic Corona virus panic has led to the rise of abnormally high rice prices. During the week, the price of rice increased to Rs 8 per kg in the capital markets and up to Tk. 12 per month during the month. Rice prices have risen by 7 percent during the week and up to 24 percent in the month-long period, according to the government body Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
In this list of price hikes, there are thick and medium rice as well as poor rice. It has been alleged that a class of profit greedy traders have increased the price of rice in a planned way. Consumers have demanded that the RAB and Consumer Directorate be launched in the rice market to control the price.
According to traders, rice prices rise as the Corona virus spreads. The RAB then carried out a series of operations to reduce the cost of rice. Rice prices remain stable for about a month. However, the price of rice has started to rise again for a week.
According to data from retailers, the price of chicken rice usually goes up first. Then the price of coarse rice increases. However, the price of coarse rice has risen before this time. Then the price of chicken rice is rising.
They say many are standing beside the poor people suffering from the Corona virus. They are giving thick rice as a relief to poor people. Because of this, the demand for coarse rice increases as prices rise. Now the prices of fresh and medium rice are rising. This may be because many of those who bought rice at the beginning of the coroner have run out of rice. Now they are buying rice to eat again. The demand has increased. As a result, the price has increased.
According to information given by various retailers in the capital on Thursday, April 16, minikit and najirshal rice are currently being sold at Tk. 62-68 kg, up from Tk 55-60 a week ago. And before the outbreak of the Corona virus, it was 52-56 kg. That is, the price of chicken rice increased by eight taka a week and up to 12 taka a month.
This list of price hikes over the course of the week includes medium-sized pajamas and lattice rice. At present, medium-quality rice is being sold at Tk. 52-60 , which was a week ago at Tk. 50-55 And a month ago it was between 40-50 bucks.
Meanwhile, the poor rice prices did not rise this week but increased last week. Currently, the price of fat rice is being sold at 44-50 taka per kg, which two weeks ago was taka 38-40. And before the Corona virus panic was 32-35 taka.
According to retailers and TCB data, the price of chicken and medium rice increased during the week and the price of coarse rice remained unchanged.
According to the TCB, on April 15, the retail markets of the capital sold miniket and Nazi rice at Tk. 60-68, which was a week earlier at Tk. 55-65 And a month ago it was 55-60 taka. That is, during the week, the price of chicken rice has risen by 6.67 percent and during the month, it has increased by 11.30 percent.
On the other hand, medium-quality rice is selling at Tk. 50-58, which was a week ago Tk. 50-55 and a month ago Tk.45-55. That is, during the week, the increase rate is 2.68 percent and the increase of the month is 8 percent. And the fat rice is selling at Tk. 30-40 per kg as compared to the previous week, which is a month ago. As a result, the price of coarse rice has risen by 24.32 percent over the month.
Shariful Islam, who bought rice from Khilgaon Taltala, said, “There are four members of our family. In early March I bought a 25 kg sack of rice. That rice is gone. So today I came to buy rice. The rice sack I bought earlier for 1300 Taka, now the rice is asking for 1600 Taka. The price of 25 kg rice has increased by Tk. 300 a month. How is this normal? Corona, meanwhile, suffers from panic, while on the other hand suffers from commodity prices. I cannot explain what kind of mental pain I am in.
Malibag resident Joynal said the price of rice and pulses is likely to be lower now for human consideration. But the reality is that prices are rising with panic. It is easily understood that a class of traders who are raising the price of rice in a planned way. Rapid RAB operations should be taken against these traders. The RAB seems to be raising prices if it doesn’t. Earlier, the price of rice also increased in the beginning of coroner. After the RAB operation, the price hike stopped. Now that the RAB has no operation, the businessmen have started raising the price of rice again.
Rampura resident Monirul said the new rice will come to market shortly after. There is no justifiable reason for the increase in the price of rice at this time. The tax cycle is raising the price of rice in a planned way. This cycle will see the farmers buy rice at a lower price. Farmers will not get the price of paddy. But this cycle will increase profits by raising the price of rice.
Khilgaon businessman said. Alam Bhuiyan said many people are buying thick rice to provide relief. Because of this, the demand for coarse rice in the market has increased. As a result, prices have increased in the last week. However, last week the price of chicken rice fell a bit. But now it has grown again. Prices of chicken rice increased by up to five rupees a week during the week. Because of this, we are being forced to sell at increased prices. We think the new rice may actually lower the price a bit.
He also said that the price of chicken rice has risen before the price of rice has increased. Then the price of coarse rice is rising. But this time the exception. First, the price of coarse rice has risen, and then the rice. We think the price of rice can be reduced by launching a campaign in the wholesale market of rice. Earlier, due to the RAB raid, prices of chicken rice remained stable for several weeks. But now there is no increase in the cost of RAB again.
Rampura businessman Milon said, “We thought the price of rice would not rise again.” Because after a while new rice will come to the market. But we have proved that notion that the price of chicken rice has gone up. Wholesale traders say mill owners say there is now a shortage of rice. Rice is also higher. There is no proper transportation to bring rice to Dhaka again. The transportation is getting extra money. This is why rice prices have risen. The new rice is actually and transportation will be normal if the price is slightly reduced.
Dhaka Bureau Chief, April 16,2020