Cox’s Bazar Correspondent :
The prices of all varieties of rice have increased by 28-50 per cent during the last eight-month time here in the district, much to the sufferings of poor and lower middle-income groups of people already hit by soaring commodity prices.
Price of coarse variety of rice has witnessed the highest jump followed by the price of medium-quality rice.
The price of coarse variety of rice increased by Tk 20 a kg while medium quality rice increased by Tk 14 a kg in the district market, sources said.
After the rise, the lowest price of coarse variety of rice stood at Tk 40 a kg in the district while the price of the item was Tk 20 a kg 7-8 months before.
The price of medium-quality has risen steeply by 28 per cent. Eight months ago, the price of the item was Tk 36 per kg. Now it is selling at Tk 50 per kg, the sources added.
Traders said that there are several factors- imposition of tax on rice import, increase in production cost and decrease in stock of rice in government warehouses responsible for the price rise.
Besides, the allocation of rice has been stopped in OMS, TR-KABIKHA projects, which is another reason why the rice prices have gone high, they added.
The prices of rice started to rise in different phases during the last seven-eight months.
Even during Boro harvest, the prices showed no sign of falling. The coarse rice price now stands very high which jumped up to Tk 40 per kg in several month times from Tk 20, traders informed.
While visiting different shops in the town, this correspondent found that coarse and medium-grain rice was traded at between Tk 40-50 per kg which was the highest selling prices in the country till the date.
Small traders said prices of the staple have been on the rise since Eid-ul-Fitr. They blamed the price spiral on slow supply from big farmers and traders.
Some grocers in different markets said there has a crisis of coarse rice and medium-quality rice in markets as the millers cannot supply the rice in proportion to demand.
Traders said rice is no more imported from India and Myanmar as tax has been imposed on import. The government in one way imposed tax on import of rice, on the other way stopped supply of the rice through different projects like TR-KABIKHA. That is how, the prices of rice have gone so high, they alleged.
Day-labourer Rafiq Uddin, a resident of Ghonarpara in the town, said he along with his family is suffering immensely as the price of coarse rice has risen very high. He are now paying double for buying rice which is a huge burden for the poor class people like him, he added.
HM Jashim Uddin, President of Cox’ Bazar Rice Traders’ Samity, the government procured rice from millers at Tk 31 per kg while it was being sold at Tk 20 in retail markets. During the time the government had procured rice for three months in a row, although the procurement drive used to continue for a month earlier. The government also collected paddy from farmers.
Thus, there has been crisis of rice in markets.
On the other hand, the rice procured by government is not being supplied through different development projects like earlier, that also attributed to the price hike, he informed. Besides, the increase in production cost of paddy has also added to the price spiral, he added.
