After the arrival of 62,000 eggs in a truck from India, the wholesale price of each in the Dhaka market dropped to 80 paisa. The price of potato also decreased after importation. The sellers have given information that the retail price has been reduced by more than 10 rupees per kg.
Eggs were sold at the rate of 10 taka 20 paisa in the wholesale shops of Karwan Bazar at night after the truck entered through the Benapole Port of Jessore on Sunday evening. The previous day the price was 11 rupees.
At the local grocery store, it was sold for 55 taka, some for 55 taka at the retail level. Prices are coming down in super shops too.
But those who have more eggs in hand, are now in fear of loss.
Raju Ahmed, an egg dealer in Mohakhali, told bdnews24.com, “The eggs I have are bought at 11 taka 80 paisa each. Selling for 12 taka 20 paise. But the market has fallen further.
“I have several thousand eggs now. I tried to sell the eggs as fast as possible all day today. Because, eggs can’t be sold tomorrow even at the purchase price.”
After the market went out of control, the government started issuing permits to 15 companies to import 15 crore eggs from September 17. But due to various complications, it takes 49 days for the first shipment to arrive.
On September 21, BDS Corporation, which was authorized to bring one crore eggs, brought a truckload of eggs. Their import cost of each egg to the port is 5 taka 29 paisa. The tax for each egg is 1 taka 80 paisa. As a result, after crossing the port, the price of eggs is 7 taka 09 paisa each.
BDS Corporation has made a lot of profit in this shipment. Dipankar Sarkar, owner of the company, told bdnews24.com, “My 62,000 eggs have been sold within a short time. Sold for 10 rupees each. According to that, the loss is 40 rupees.
He also said that another 1 million eggs are coming in the market in the next 2 to 3 days.
Bangladesh Poultry Association President Sumon Howladar, who sells eggs in the open market by truck, told bdnews24.com, “The price of eggs in Monday’s wholesale market has reached Tk 10 each.
“Today we sold 80,000 eggs. Red eggs were sold at Tk 138 per dozen and white eggs at Tk 132.”
Poultry Association sold in Motijheel, Hatirpool, Banglamotor, New Market, Mohammadpur Town Hall, New Bazaar, Bhatara, Caravan Bazaar TCB Bhawan and Caravan Bazaar Battala.
However, after visiting various grocery stores in Mohakhali in the evening, it was found that each Hali egg is still being sold at 55 taka. That is, the price of each egg is 13 taka 75 paisa.
The seller claims that he has not yet bought eggs at the new price.
On September 14, the government fixed the maximum retail price of each egg at Tk 12 after the price of eggs became rampant. But at the retail level, the price is seen to be sold from 150 to 165 taka.
After that, when the government started allowing imports, the prices started to come down. However, if there is a delay in the import due to various complications, the price starts to rise again.
The price of potatoes is even higher
The government has relied on imports to control the market price of potatoes. On October 30, the Ministry of Agriculture started issuing approvals. A total of 1 lakh 62 thousand tons of potatoes have been approved for import.
2 thousand 700 tons have arrived in the country till Monday. Before import, the cooking material which was being sold at 60 taka, somewhere 70 taka per kg, has now come down to 50 taka at the retail level.
Within a week, the price has decreased by 10 rupees per kg.
Salah Uddin, a grocer in Mohakhali Amtali, said, “The price of potatoes in the wholesale market has dropped to Tk 45 per kg. As a result, we are able to sell Tk 50 per kg in two days.”
On September 14, besides eggs, the government also fixed the maximum retail price of potatoes at Tk 36. But the government could not force the wholesale sale of potatoes in cold storage at this rate.
Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzak told reporters on the day the import of potatoes was allowed, “The price we have fixed, they should also benefit.” But they are not even close to that price. Coldstorage owners are a syndicate raising prices.”
According to the government organization Trading Corporation of Bangladesh, the market price of potatoes is 90 percent higher than the same period last year.
The onion market is not cooling down
While the prices of the two products have been reined in by imports, this has not been the case with onions. The government had fixed the maximum retail price of desi onion at Tk 64 to Tk 65.
But now desi onion is being sold at 120, 130, 140 somewhere.
Salah Uddin, the seller of Mohakhali, said that Indian onion is still under 110 rupees.
The government has allowed the import of onions first among these three products. This approval was given at the beginning of June if the prices suddenly increased from last April to May.
The market for onions from India cooled down, but later after India imposed tariffs on exports, prices rose again. Now with the news that the prices have increased in India as well, the prices have exceeded the prices of April and May.
According to TCB, domestic onion prices are 112 percent higher than the same period last year, while Indian onion prices are 72 percent higher.
