Rice prices on the rise

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Golam Mowla
Published : 21:47, Dec 06, 2019 | Updated : 21:49, Dec 06, 2019

A general view of a rice shop at a Dhaka market. MEHEDI HASAN/File PhotoPrices of some varieties of rice have increased by Tk 4 a kilogram in Dhaka’s kitchen markets over the past month.
Rice traders claimed that the prices went up during this time of the year ahead of the new rice hitting the markets.
According to state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), different varieties of rice were being sold at Tk 46-52 a kg on Friday (Dec 3), which was Tk 42-48 exactly a month ago.
Price of Paijam and Lata rice fine varieties rose by 8.51 percent while its coarse varieties saw a hike by 6.82 percent. Price of Najirshail and Miniket rice fine varieties increased by 6.48 percent while its coarse varieties' rose by 6.19 percent.
President of Bangladesh Rice Merchant Association Naim Mia told Bangla Tribune that newly produced rice of this harvest would hit the market soon.
"No shortage of rice supply in the market and price will drop soon [after new crops will be available.]" he said.
Consumers are the worst sufferers of the price hike.
"Rise in the price of essentials mostly affect low-income people's life. After the volatile price of onions, now trouble in rice markets," lamented Rokon Mahmud, a resident from the capital's Mugda area.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque urged all not to worry over the rice prices.
"The country has sufficient stockpile of rice and the [rice] markets are under control," he told a programme in the capital on Friday.

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