Prices of edible oil, pulse, spices increase

Prices of edible oil, red lentil, and spices increased further in the city markets in the past week while most other essential commodities remained somewhat stable.

The supply shortage of edible oil and pulses at import level makes them costlier while the declining supply from their new stocks is making garlic and red chilli dearer, market sources said.

Non-packed soyabean oil, which was increased by Tk 2 per kilogram last week, was retailed yesterday between Tk 74 and Tk 76 while the fine grade palm oil, super palm, was retailed between Tk 64 and Tk 66.

Soyabean per 37.3 kilogram (one maund), which was sold up to Tk 2,580 and super palm up to, Tk 2,340 yesterday in the wholesale markets, increased by Tk 30 and Tk 20 respectively over the week.

The wholesale prices of edible oil increased further over the week as the traders' conjecture about the duty cut on edible oil did not come true, said a member of Bangladesh Edible Oil Wholesalers' Association.

Abnormal hike of edible oil prices in the international markets has made the commodity very high in the local markets and its prices, according to the government report, increased by up to 13 per cent in a month and 51 per cent in a year.

The wholesale price of imported Turkish variety of red lentil increased by around Tk 100 per maund over the week while at retail level, the major selling lower quality lentil per kilogram was yesterday sold between Tk 54 and Tk 58 respectively, increased by Tk 4 over the week. Fine grade local variety of red lentil was yesterday sold per kilogram between Tk 70 and Tk 74.

Garlic and red chilli, which remained cheaper in the previous few weeks with their plenty of supply from new stocks, became dearer in the past week as their supply started to decline, traders said.

Per kilogram of local variety of garlic was on Saturday sold at Tk 45 against Tk 35 a week back. Red chilli was sold at Tk 120 as against Tk 100 a week ago.

Price of rice remained stable in the week with the coarse variety of rice was sold between Tk 21 and Tk 23 per kilogram and the fine variety between Tk 26 and Tk 29.

The price of the coarse rice may start declining when the new harvest of Boro hits the market in late April, traders said.

Per kilogram of onion of different varieties was sold between Tk 16 and Tk 20, cucumber between Tk 12 and Tk 16, aubergine between Tk 14 and Tk 18 while okra was sold at Tk 14 at Fakirapool kitchen market yesterday.

Price of fishes remained high in the city markets. A medium-sized hilsa was sold at Mohakhali Bazar between Tk 300 and Tk 350 while per kilogram of 'shoal' between Tk 200 and Tk 220, local variety of 'ruhita' between Tk 180 and Tk 250 and tilapia was sold between Tk 90 and Tk 120 yesterday.

Per kilogram of broiler was sold between Tk 75 and Tk 80, beef between Tk 170 and Tk 180 while per dozen of farm-grown eggs was sold at Tk 48 yesterday.