The prices of some essential items especially edible oil, lentil and some other varieties of vegetables were showing an upward trend in the city's kitchen markets yesterday.

The rice price, however, remained within the 'purchasing capacity' of the customers.

The traders were selling soybean with irrational rate despite commitment to the concerned authority not to sell it with high price, market experts said.

They said that a section of unscrupulous businessmen raised the soybean price abnormally with a plea to increase its price in the international markets, they added.

Strict application of 'Consumers Rights Protection Act' and strong market monitoring by the government could ensure 'efficacious' result in bringing down the some prices of essentials, increased abruptly in recent days, said customers in the city.

They called upon the government to import some essential commodities on regular basis in order to 'check excessive profit' by a section of traders from the customers as well as to maintain 'price stability' of those items in the market.

The government has taken some measures to control the market price. It also relaxed the public procurement rules (PPR), allowing the state owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) to import some essential items during the month of Ramzan.

As per market survey yesterday coarse variety of rice was sold between Tk 21 and Tk 22 per kg while BR-28 at Tk 24 to Tk 25, Paizam at Tk 24 to Tk 25, Minicate at Tk 32 to Tk 33 and Nazirshail depending of quality was sold between Tk 32 and Tk 35.

Though the TCB's market price showed per kg of soybean was Tk 82 yesterday, but in the retail markets it was sold between Tk 85 to Tk 86 per kg while super palm was Tk 80 and palm oil between Tk 72 to Tk 74 yesterday.

Per kg of potato was sold between Tk 22 and Tk 23, local variety of lentil was at Tk105 per kg and imported ones between Tk 90 and Tk 92, cucumber between Tk 20 and Tk 22, tomato was Tk 24 to Tk 28, barboti at Tk 28 to Tk 30. Per hali of egg (four of each) was sold between Tk 28 to Tk 29.

Green chilli was sold between Tk 40 to Tk 45 which was Tk 30 to Tk 35 in the past few days. Onion was sold between Tk 25 and Tk 26 and imported ones was Tk 20. Prices of different varieties of fishes showed high trend yesterday.

Sources:
News: The New Nation
Photo: Focus Bangla