Prices of some varieties of rice decreased a little in the city’s kitchen markets this week.
Rice traders said prices decreased a bit as the government took strict measures to control prices of the staple food.
Throughout last month, prices of different varieties of rice increased by around Tk3-8 a kilogram in Dhaka’s kitchen markets.
Visiting several kitchen markets in the capital on Wednesday (including markets in Rampura, Malibagh, and Panthapath), coarse variety of Sawrna rice was found selling at Tk38-40 a kg; BR-28 was selling at Tk38-40 a kg and Paijam was selling at Tk35a kg, which was earlier at Tk38 a kg.
The prices of Najursail decreased by Tk5-6 a kg, and were selling at Tk50-55a kg. Guti Sawrna, the coarse variety of rice; Shwarna Paijam; and Miniket were selling for Tk32, Tk35 and Tk45-50, respectively, depending on their qualities.
Meanwhile, the prices of some fine rice varieties increased by Tk3-10 a kg. Price of BR 29 increased by Tk3-4 a kg, and was selling at Tk40-42 a kg. The price of chinigura polao rice increased to Tk110 a kg, which was Tk100 a kg a week earlier. Price of Jirashail increased by 2-3 a kg, and was selling at Tk45 a kg in retail markets.
Saiful Islam, a retailer at Malibagh kitchen market said: “We are operating under government pressure. Every day magistrates come to monitor prices of essentials. So, there is no way to sell at higher prices.”
“The rice mill owners increased the price of Miniket, forcing us to sell at a higher price,” he said, while adding: now, prices of some rice decreased by Tk2-5 a kg.
“Deshbandhu Miniket, which we bought at Tk45 a kg earlier, can now be bought at Tk42 a kg and be sold at Tk45 to 48 a kg,” Saiful said.
Arifa Islam, a buyer and a resident of Panthapath area, said: "If the government takes strict measures to monitor prices at the kitchen markets, prices of essentials would remain stable. Since there was no effective market monitoring system in place in the case of onion, retail traders and wholesalers took advantage of the supply situation,”
KM Layek Ali, secretary general at the Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mill Owners' Association, said: “Millers increased only the price of Miniket rice by Tk1.5-2 a kg.”
