Rice prices up  

The prices of all kinds of rice went up in the city market last week adding to woes of the consumers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Prices of most rice varieties increased by Tk 3.0-4.0 per kilogram in last seven days.

Coarse rice like Swarna, BR-11 and hybrid varieties showed a Tk 3.0 hike as sold at Tk 40-46 a kg in the city market on Thursday.

Medium quality Brrridhan-28, Paijam, Lota were retailed at Tk 47-52 a kg while finer rice Miniket, Jeerashail, and Najirshail at Tk 56-70 a kg on the day.

The state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) recorded a 4.0-6.4 per cent hike in rice prices in last seven days.

Traders said high price of Boro paddy has been causing a surge in rice prices even during this peak Boro paddy harvesting season.

Market experts, however, put emphasis on strict market monitoring to prevent any unusual hike in major staple during this pandemic.

Mohammad Asadullah, a Badamtoli- based rice trader in the city, said all kinds of rice witnessed a hike of Tk 100-120 per 50-kg sack at mill gates in last one and a half weeks.

"Our sources from milling hubs said prices might rise further," he added.

Md Hazrat Ali, a Nilphamari-based trader, said paddy prices have been rising for last few weeks despite having good harvest which impacted rice prices.

Brridhan-28 paddy was selling at Tk 800 a maund which was maximum Tk 650 a maund last year, he added.

"Big millers and traders are also in a hurry to store paddy as much as they can due to the pandemic."

Hybrid (milled) rice was selling at Tk 34-34.5 a kg while other coarse varieties like Swarna, BR-11 at Tk 35-36 a kg, Mr. Hazratadded.

He said seasonal finer rice Miniket was wholesaled at Tk 50-56 a kg at mill-gates in Nilphamari and Dinajpur on Thursday depending on its quality.

Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) secretary Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan said the government should reinforce its mobile teams in the rice market soon.

The current situation in the rice market is unusual he said, adding that the government should procure rice or paddy as much as it can to tackle any market upheaval like that of 2017.

And statistical agencies must have to deliver most authentic data on production and demand for the staple, he added.

However, the government could buy only 0.18 million tonnes of rice and paddy in last two months out of its 1.95 million tonnes of target during this Boro season, according to the Directorate General of Food (DGoF).

Now the public warehouses have a stock of 0.85 million tonnes of rice which was 1.35 million tonnes in March.

The government is expecting 20.04 million tonnes of rice output from this Boro season.

However, prices of broiler chicken, ginger, few vegetables and potato also increased last week.

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