Rice market has become unstable in the northern district Dinajpur with a sudden surge in price of the food grain after remaining stable for a long time.
Local sources said price of per sack (50) of rice had increased by Tk200 to Tk250 at wholesale markets in the last 15 days. The prices of per kilogram rice has increased Tk4 to Tk5 in the wholesale markets while price of per kilogram rice has increased by Tk10 to Tk20 in the local markets.
Local people are now blaming a syndicate for the sudden rise in the price of the food grain while mill owners are saying less supply is responsible for the crisis.
During a visit to Mokam Bahadur Bazar where several thousand maunds of rice are traded everyday and which is the biggest wholesale grain market in the district, this correspondent found that per sack (50kg) minicate rice was sold at Tk1,700, BR28 variety of rice at Tk1,520 and BR 29 variety of rice at Tk 1,400.
Currently, per sack (50kg) rice is being sold at Tk1,100, minicate Tk1,950, BR28 variety of rice at Tk 1,600 and BR 29 variety of rice at Tk5,500.
Moreover, per sack fine variety of minicate rice is being sold at Tk80 in the local markets while this amount of rice was sold at Tk60 two weeks back.
Traders at the markets said prices of all variety of rice have marked a sharp rise in the last 15 days.
People of low-income groups are suffering to a great extent due to the sudden rise in the price of rice which is the main staple food in the country.
Local said it was lean period for the people of the northern region, moreover, sudden rise in the price of rice has multiplied their sufferings.
Rustam Ali, who came to buy rice, told the correspondent that now he was passing idle time as he had no job now, but sudden rise in the price of rice made their live very difficult.
Raisul Islam said: “When farmers sell paddy they do not get fair price. But now we have to pay extra money while buying rice.”
He also urged the government to introduce proper monitoring system to restrain the skyrocket prices of essentials so that poor people get meal thrice a day.
Wholesale traders are saying that the sudden rise in the price had put bad impact on their trading as retailers are buying small amount of the food grain due to rise in the price.
They said a syndicate of rice mill owners have increased the price of rice.
Javed Hosasin, owner of Dui Bhai Rice Agency said, every year during the time the rice suppliers increased the price of rice.
Liakat Ali, owner of Anno Ghor, said suppliers were responsible for the increase of price in rice.
Mossadek Hossain, president of Dinajpur Silpo O Bonik Samity, told the Dhaka Tribune that now the market of rice remained stable. The price has increased slightly due to poor supply. He also denied existence of any syndicate in the locality.