Commodity prices soar ahead of Ramzan

Noman Mosharef :
As Ramzan approaches, prices of common grocery items that are especially used during the holy month have increased in the markets in Dhaka.
The price hikes would make it difficult for many low and middle-income group people to afford basic food and iftar items during the fasting month, according to consumers.
They blamed the spike in prices to businesses taking advantage of the increased demand before and during the month of Ramzan. Certain commodities such as gram, sugar and dates and lentil and other foods especially get expensive.
On Friday, gram was being sold at Tk 85 to Tk 120 per kilogram (kg) (depending on quality) with an increase of Tk 10- Tk 15 per kg.
Azizul Haque, a trader at the Khatungonj wholesale market in Chattogram, said last year per maund good quality gram were sold Tk3, 000, but this year we are selling the commodity at Tk3, 600.
Khatungonj is the country’s largest wholesale market.
Besides, dates was being sold at Tk 800 (marium variety) per kg, with an increase of Tk 100- Tk 150 per kg, red lentil (fine grade) was selling at Tk 140 per kg with an increase of Tk 20 per kg and sugar (loose) was selling at Tk 115 per kg while the commodity was sold at Tk 110 per kg last week.  
During Ramzan, after over 12 hours of fasting, people try to enjoy lavish iftar by arranging many items. But many people with fixed wages and salaries are likely to

limit their purchases this year due to skyrocketing prices food and essential commodities.
“Each year, the prices of common grocery items increase in Bangladesh ahead of Ramzan. We see no exception of the trend this year also,” said Pavel Rahman, a resident of the capital’s Gopibagh area, told The New Nation yesterday.
He added, “In Ramzan, the demand for products like fruits, dates, chickpeas, lentil, lemons, and green chilies increases. However, the prices increase significantly too. However, we have no choice but to buy products at high prices.”
Homemaker Monira Begum, a resident of the capital’s Mirpur area, had a similar experience. The 50-year-old said: “As soon as Ramzan approaches, the prices increase. I sometimes stock up on items because we know how the prices will spike.”
She noted that this year, Ramzan in Bangladesh will be tougher than previous years for many low and middle-income group people due to high food and commodity prices.
“How can we afford common iftar items when our purchasing power is rapidly declining amid soaring cost of living, caused by skyrocketing prices of daily necessities, medicines and utility bills?” she added.
Monira, a government employee, also said that the prices of everything had increased with little increase in income.
Earlier, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) predicted that the prices of essential commodities will go up by 25-30 per cent during the holy Ramzan.
DNCRP Director General (DG) A.H.M. Shafiquzzaman said if the products price remains same with international market this year, though the price will increase about 20-30 per cent in the country due to dollar exchange rate.
He claimed that there is no shortage of essential commodities in the market.
Besides, traders blamed ongoing dollar crisis for the rise in commodity prices in local market.
They said the medium and small businessmen could not able to open letter of credit (LC) due to dollar crisis and it has created a crisis of imported goods leading to rise in the prices of essential commodities.
Meanwhile, the price of broiler chicken hit all-time high at Tk260 in the city’s kitchen market, going beyond the purchasing capacity of the common people.
Besides, prices of beef remained high and it was being sold at Tk750 per kg and while mutton was being sold at Tk1100 per kg in the city’s kitchen markets yesterday.
The prices of egg, fish, vegetables, and green chilies also remained high in the market.
On Friday, per dozen eggs was sold at Tk 145 and per kg green chilies was sold at Tk120, whereas last week per dozen eggs was sold at Tk130 and per kg green chilies was sold at Tk 80.
The vegetables and fish price also went beyond of the buying capacity of the low and middle-income group people as there was no fish at less Tk 250 and no vegetables at less Tk 60 per kg.
Besides, lemon prices have skyrocketed in the markets ahead of Ramzan.
Lemons are currently being sold at Tk 60 per four in the capital.