Staff Reporter :
When the whole country has been experiencing extreme heat for more than two weeks at a stretch, the price of a medium sized green coconut was being sold at Tk 200 in different districts, including Dhaka. The southern districts which are known as one of the largest producers of coconuts in the country also demand high price.
The sellers say the demand of green coconuts is high especially for dengue patients’ who need to increase platelet level as green coconut plays a vital role for the dengue survivors.
Traders claim that the supply of green coconut is less than the demand. That’s why the price has increased.
Refuting this, buyers allege the retailers have simply taken advantage of the situation and increased the price.
A medium sized green coconut was seen selling at Tk 160-200 in Karwan Bazar, Dhanmondi Bus Stand area on Monday. Many people were seen returning empty handed after learning the price.
However, the Directorate of National Consumers Right Protection (DNCRP) will started strict market surveillance to stop abnormal price hiking of green coconut.
It said that the voucher and cash memo must be kept in case of selling the item.
DNCRP took this decision from a meeting with the green coconut traders at its head office in the capital on Monday.
The DNCRP teams will start monitoring from Tuesday that they will see licenc and TIN certificates of the traders. Officials of the directorate and related traders were present there.
DNCRP Director General AHM Shafiquzzaman said, “Green coconut price increasing spree is going on at every level of wholesale and retail as no one keeps any voucher or sales receipt for it. Now we have directed them to keep the cash memos or to face legal punishments.” “We have already started working against it across the country. As a result, the price of green coconut has started to decrease,” he said.
The DNCRP has conducted nationwide campaigns for controlling green coconut price hiking as this item considered as a major preventive item for dengue patients.
The official said, DNCRP has instructed its field level employees to continue strict monitoring until the price stabilises at the markets.
He said they have already given instruction to continue the market surveillance until the maximum retail price of green coconut comes within Taka 100 per unit.
“Due to the increase in dengue infection, the demand for green coconut has been hiked by the dishonest traders,” he said.
Taking advantage of this, he said, such dishonest traders are unethically increasing the prices.
He said that traders have already been fined in some parts of the country for selling the item at excessive prices.
