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BDR outlets to stop rice sale shortly

Price hike of commodities continues

Shaheen Mollah
Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) is set to suspend selling rice in its fair price outlets in the capital within two or three days, and the suspension will remain in effect until the government s ongoing rice procurement programme across the country wraps up.
A BDR official said the decision to suspend selling rice came fol-
lowing instructions from tire government, as the border security force is being forced to procure rice from local markets for Tk 28.5 to Tk 29.5 a kilogram (kg), which is higher than the government-fixed procurement price ofTk28.
Food Secretary Mollah Waheeduzzaman, however, said he does not know anything about such government instructions.
Asked if the difference between
procurement prices of BDR and the government has any impact on the government’s procurement of rice, he said it would definitely give rise to some problems.
Meanwhile, prices of rice, potato, edible oil, fish, chicken and spices continued to rise on both retail and wholesale markets in the city over the last one week.
Talking to The Daily Star, BDR
from PAGE 1
Dhaka Sector Commander Col Mujibul Huq said sale of rice in their fair price outlets will be suspended temporarily within two days while 10 shops, which used to sell only rice out of 75 such outlets in the capital, already shut down on Thursday.
He also said they decided not to purchase rice from local markets as long as the government's rice procurement programme is on.
Mujibul, however, said sales of other essential commodities like pulses, flour, edible oil, potato, etc will continue in BDR fair price outlets.
The government's rice procurement programme will go on till August 30, said food ministry sources.
Visiting different BDR outlets in the capital yesterday, this correspondent found a bigger rush of shoppers than in the previous three days.
Sales of coarse rice however came down to 230-240 tonnes from 450 tonnes a day in the last two days after BDR had fixed the price of the commodity at Tk 30 a kg.
Prices of coarse rice went up by Tk 10 a maund (37.32 kg) on wholesale markets in the capital yesterday, adding up to a hike ofTk 50-60 a maund in the last five days.
Prices of course rice on retail markets of the city also marked a slight hike.
A kg of Irri rice, was selling for Tk 32-34 on retail markets yesterday, which had been selling for Tk 32 five days ago.
When asked if the hike was prompted by the recent budget announcement, rice traders replied in the negative saying there is a short supply of the staple.
In the past four days, prices of potato leapt byTk 6 to Tk 8 a kg with 4e traders saying they had not ^een such a quick hike in such a short period in recent times.
On retail markets, potato was sellingforTk 18 to Tk 20 a kg yesterday, but four days ago it had been selling for Tk 12 to Tk 13 a kg.
On wholesale markets, however, prices of potato came down by Tk 1.5 to Tk 2 a kg in the last two days.
Potato wholesalers at Karwan Bazar told The Daily Star that a sudden onrush of potato supply from Rajshahi contributed to the fall of prices yesterday.
Price of non-brand soybean oil increased by Tk 60 a maund while price of palm oil went up by Tk 100 a maund on wholesale markets in
the last four days. Price of super palm oil also went up by Tk 150 a maundduring the same period.
Price of edible oil went up by I k 2-5 a kg on retail markets during the same period.
Prices of fish went up by Tk 10-50 a kg on both retail and wholesale markets over the last week.
A fish trader in Karwan Bazar said short supply of fish caused the price hike.
Prices of broiler chickens also rose by Tk 5-10 a kg last week; selling for Tk 125-130 a kg yesterday, while the price had been Tk 120 a week ago.
Prices of spices including cardamom, cinnamon, clove, and raisin rose by Tk 20-100 a kg on both wholesale and retail markets through last week.
A spice trader in Karwan Bazar said he purchased a kg of cardamom for Tk 1,100 two days ago, the same amount of which he had purchased forTk 1,000 a week back.
He also said he purchased a kg of raisins for I k 220 two days ago. the same amount of which he had purchased forTk 180 a week ago.
Prices of ginger and garlic also rose by Tk 10-20 a kg through last week.