Staff Correspondent, The Daily Star, 14 May 2008

 

The wholesale and retail prices of different varieties of rice increased in the capital yesterday while edible oil prices saw a hike during the last two days.

Crowd at the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) fair price outlets in the city is increasing day by day. The number of buyers was smaller during the last two weeks when the prices of rice were falling. People started gathering at the BDR fair price outlets yesterday dawn to buy rice at Tk 25 per kg.

The BDR at 75 outlets in the city is selling rice putting people in two queues, instead of four, since last week. It is selling 3kg of rice to each person instead of the 5kg it used to sell.

Col Mujibul Haque of BDR told The Daily Star that he instructed BDR personnel at the outlets to increase the number of queues if necessary.

The wholesale prices of different varieties of rice rose between Tk 10 and Tk 20 per maund (37.32kg) while retail prices of different varieties of rice rose by Tk 1 yesterday.

A number of the wholesalers told The Daily Star that the supply of course rice is poor as government procurement of rice is inspiring rice-mill owners to sell rice to the government instead of them.

During the last two days prices of edible oil rose by Tk 20 to 40 per maund in the city’s wholesale markets. This rise is yet to have an impact on the retail markets.

Soya bean oil was selling between Tk 4,030 and 4,040 per maund yesterday; it was between Tk 4,000 and Tk 4,020 two days ago. Palm oil (super) was selling between Tk 3,730 and Tk 3,740 per maund; it was between Tk 3,700 and Tk 3,710 two days ago. Palm oil (ordinary) was selling between Tk 3,670 and Tk 3,680 rising from Tk 3630.