Economic Reporter :
The consumers are unhappy with the prices of edible oil fixed by the government recently to control the soaring trend of the prices in the domestic markets.
As per the fixation, loose soyabean oil is scheduled to be sold at Tk 107 per litre at the mill gate and Tk 115 per litre at the retail level.
On the other hand, the bottled oil has fixed at Tk 123 per litre at mill gate and Tk 135 at the retail level, while the five litre bottle is scheduled to be sold at Tk 630 at the retail markets.
“The price of soybean and palm oil have already set by the government is much higher. Furthermore, many shops in the retail markets are asking for more than the fixed price,” said Abdur Rahim, consumer in the Jatrabari area in the city on Friday.
“The government has actually facilitated the traders by fixing this price. The government hikes the price of the essential commodity such a time when income of many people has been reduced due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.
The people’s sufferings will be increased by the fixation of the edible oil, he said. Loose soybean oil was selling at Tk 116-120 per litre against the government’s rate of Tk 115 a litre. Price of loose super palm was Tk 106-110 a litre at retails against government-fixed maximum price of Tk 104 on the day.
However, bottled soybean oil prices remained unchanged at Tk 135 a litre—same as the government-fixed maximum retail price.
Meanwhile, the prices of chicken, a main source of protein, witnessed a notable hike in the retail markets in the city and the rice and sugar prices remained static maintaining their previous highs.
All kind of chicken meat became costlier by Tk 15-50 a kg in the week. Broiler chicken was selling at Tk 145-155 a kg, layer at Tk 170-180, Sonali Tk 260-270 and indigenous Tk 420-48-0 per kg last week.
Rising demand, decline in production and higher production costs have caused the chicken price hike, said insiders.
Rice prices maintained their previous high as coarse varieties were retailed at Tk 46-50, medium Tk 55-56 and finer at Tk 65-82 a kg on Thursday depending on qualities.
Sugar prices too remained unchanged at Tk 72-78 per kilogram on the day.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh president Golam Rahman said, “It is very natural that if the price of oil and sugar rises in the international market, it will have an impact on the local market.”
However, if the government wants, it can reduce the impact on consumers, and for that, import tax can be reduced, he said.
