The New Nation - Internet Edition

BUSINESS REPORT

Prices of coarse varieties of rice, onion, soyabean oil and poultry birds marked rise while prices of flour declined to some extent at the retail and wholesale shops in the city markets during the past one week, traders said.

They said prices of many other commodities including lentil, sugar and powder milk that skyrocketed recently remained almost unchanged over the past one week.

During the past one week, prices of some coarse varieties of rice that started to decline increased again by Tk30-Tk40 (37.30 kg) per maund from their previous prices a week ago, traders at Badamtoli and Babubazar in the city said.

Traders said prices of coarse varieties of rice increased slightly due to shortfall in supply. But they expressed the hope that prices of coarse rice would show again a declining trend.

In the past one week, retailers in the capital said, prices of coarse and fine varieties of rice were Tk 35-T36 per kg and Tk 36-Tk 47 per kg respectively against Tk 34-Tk35 per kg and Tk 38-Tk 48 per kg a week ago.

In the past one week, at the wholesale level, Minicate variety of rice was selling at Tk1295-Tk 1628 (37.300 kg) against its previous rate at Tk Tk1330-Tk 1658 two weeks ago. Nazirshail variety of rice was selling at Tk 1313-Tk 1600 per maund compared to its previous rate at Tk 1342-Tk 1690 per maund two weeks ago, coarse rice --Swarna -- at Tk 1195-Tk1232 per maund compared to its previous rate at 1170-Tk1230 per maund a week ago and Guti at Tk 1180- Tk1238 per maund compared to its previous rate at Tk 1150- Tk1230 per maund a week ago.

Prices of poultry birds, however, increased by Tk5 per kg. Poultry birds were selling at Tk120 per kg against the previous price at Tk115 per kg a week ago. The prices of eggs both at wholesale and retail levels declined to some extent. A dozen of eggs were selling at Tk53-Tk55 at the retail level.

During the past one week, price of coarse flour was Tk42-Tk 43 per kg against Tk 45 a week ago and Tk46 a month ago.

During the same period, prices of the finer variety of local lentil ranged between Tk95 and Tk105 per kg against its previous rate at Tk81-Tk 85 per kg about two weeks ago and Tk78-Tk 80 per kg two months ago. Prices of Nepalese and Turkish varieties of lentil were Tk88-Tk90 in the last week against Tk75-Tk76 per kg about a month ago and Tk65-Tk68 per kg about two months ago.

In the past one week, non-brand sugar was selling at Tk38-Tk40 per kg unchanged from the previous. At the wholesale level sugar price ranged between Tk1950 and Tk1960 remaining unchanged from its previous price a week ago.

In the last one week, prices of canned edible oil of different brands of five litres ranged between Tk565 and Tk570 against Tk 514-Tk520 a week ago.

A litre of non-brand soybean oil was selling at Tk 112-Tk 116 at retail level, whereas the price ranged between Tk110 and Tk 108 in the beginning of the last month.

Prices of some fresh vegetable items marked rise to some extent while prices of most others remained unchanged from their previous prices a week ago, traders said.

They said prices of local onion were Tk24-Tk25 against Tk18-Tk20 per kg a week ago while the price of the Indian one was Tk18-Tk20 per kg against Tk17-Tk18 per kg previously.

During the last week, some widely sold summer vegetables such as ladies-finger, large size cucumber and cowpea were selling at Tk 20 per kg, Tk16 per kg and Tk20 per kg respectively. Green chilli and green banana were selling at Tk25-Tk35 per kg and Tk15 (four pieces) respectively.

Remaining unchanged from previous prices a week ago, the price of potato was Tk13-Tk14 per kg.

Beef and mutton were selling at Tk 180-Tk 190 per kg and Tk 240-Tk 250 per kg respectively, unchanged from their previous prices a week ago.