Govt price caps on onion, potatoes, eggs not working

Staff Reporter :
Two days have passed after the commerce ministry’s price cap on onions, potatoes, and eggs, but the retailers are still unwilling to abide by the order as the suppliers are yet to lower the prices of the key kitchen items.

Only adequate supply of the three items in the local markets can force the retailers to compel the government order, experts said.

The commerce ministry on Thursday set Tk64 to 65 for the retail price of per Kg onions, Tk 35-Tk 36 for per Kg potatoes and Tk 12 for per piece eggs.

But all three items were selling at higher prices than cap on Saturday.

Vendors of the city’s kitchen markets said they were aware of the government order, but they would have to count losses if they lowered the prices right away as the suppliers are selling the goods at prices higher than the cap set by the ministry.

They further said that although the government has set maximum retail prices of the goods, it is yet to be determined the prices in the wholesale markets.

Following this, it is still uncertain whether the prices will be reduced or not, they added.

Visiting different kitchen markets in the city on Saturday, this corresponded found that the onions were selling at the price ranged from Tk 70 to Tk 90 per Kg, potatoes were marketing at the price of Tk 50 per Kg.

Only a few shops were selling an egg for Tk 12 in compliance with the order while most were demanding Tk 13.50.

Delwar Hossain, a shopkeeper in the Mohammadpur Kachabazar, told The New Nation, “Suppliers have not yet reduced the prices of onions.

So, we are unable to sell it at the set price after procuring onions at Tk 80 a Kg.”

Khalek Hossain, the owner of Khalek Store in Moghbazar Bazar, said, “We have a cash memo of what price we bought.

I am selling goods as per the purchasing prices.

It cannot be reduced suddenly.”

However, the Directorate of National Consumers’ Right Protection (DNCRP) has already started drives in the cities and district levels from Friday to ensure the set prices of the kitchen items in the markets.

Though the officials of the DNCRP fined Tk 2.37 lakh for 90 shopkeepers on Friday, the traders are still unwilling to abide by the government order to keep their investment protected.

The DNCRP also conducted drives in the cities and district levels on Saturday to keep the prices stable and fined three shops in Habiganj for selling goods at higher prices.