Nutritious food for babies becomes unmanageable as price jumps

Al Amin :
The prices of imported powdered milk and other baby foods have increased abnormally in the local market due to complexities in opening letters of credit (LCs), leaving the guardians in difficulties to manage nutritious food for their babies.
The prices of all types of milk are on rising trend by Tk 20 to Tk 50. Such as a 350gm Lactogen milk packet is now selling at Tk 520, which was Tk 500 a month ago and Nestle NIDO One Plus Growing Up Milk Powder (350gm) is selling at Tk400 which Tk 375.
Besides, Biomil 1 Milk Power (350gm) is retailing at Tk 490, which was Tk 470 and NAN 1 milk (400gm) selling at Tk 900, which was Tk 860.
On the other hand, the price of Cerelac depending on standards ranges between Tk 250 and Tk 475 per packet.
The development comes at a time when people are already in a crisis due to price hikes of most of essential commodities, food, fast-moving consumer goods and other items.
“The prices of milk of every brand are on rising trend in the last two to three months. Due to the price hike, consumers are now buying 350gm packets of milk instead of big ones,” said Rafiqul Islam, working at a private company, told The New Nation.
“No one is paying head to the baby food market due to the high prices of other daily essentials. If this goes on, the children will be malnourished,” he added.
Traders complain that many companies are increasing the price of baby food illogically and the price of baby powdered milk  
has increased by Tk 20 to Tk 50 in small packets.
Sayedul Azher Sarwar, Head of Business at Partex Star Group, said that there is a relationship between powdered milk and the liquid milk market as if powdered milk sales plummet, liquid milk sales jump and it is happening now.
Normally, the consumption of liquid milk increases by 70 per cent to 80 per cent during Ramadan, which may pose a significant challenge to the overall local milk supply, he added.
According to the Infant and Young Children Nutrition Association of Bangladesh, the country’s demand for formula milk and powdered milk is around 14,000 tonnes a year.
Therefore, there are no alternatives to ease the import of powdered milk and raw materials for packaging. So, the import issues should be settled promptly, Sarwar said.
An abnormal price hike in the international market, fall in the value of the taka against the dollar, increase in transportation costs and difficulties in opening letters of credit are reasons behind the increase in baby food, said SM Mujibur Rahman, head of accounts of the Meghna Group of Industries.