Business Desk :
Beef and potato have become pricier in the past one week, further battering the consumers who are already hit hard by the spiralling prices of other essentials.
The price of beef reached Tk 650-700 a kg in Dhaka city last week, marking a new record in value.
It is the third time in five weeks that red meat witnessed a hike in price as it was Tk 560-600 in mid-February, according to insiders. The state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh has recorded a 7.0-per cent hike in beef prices in a week while it is above 17 per cent in a month. Forkanul Hoque, a beef shop owner at Rayerbazar, said the price of an ox weighing 150 kg has jumped to nearly Tk 95,000 as against Tk 75,000 at best a month back.
Transaction has declined notably due to such high prices as middle-income people are buying in fewer amounts, he adds.
Mr Hoque further says supply of Indian cows from frontier areas has declined notably in the past two months which caused a hike in animal prices.
Rabiul Alam, secretary general of Dhaka Metropolitan Meat Merchants’ Association, said beef prices rose due mainly to some 35-per cent hike in animal feed prices and higher transport costs for diesel price hike.
Cattle rearers and seasonal traders are also releasing animals in lesser numbers with intent to make more profits during the holy month of Ramadan, he adds.
“But I don’t think traders could do business if such higher rate continues as most of the consumers would curtail their purchase,” Alam said.
On the other hand, cheaper potato has started to become dearer as its price further increased by Tk 4.0-5.0 a kg to Tk 25-26.
