After showing an upward trend over the last couple of weeks, sugar prices eased slightly in the local market following a cut in regulatory duty (RD) on sugar import by the government.
Visiting different kitchen markets in the capital including Fakirapool, Santinagar and Khilgaon on Saturday, this correspondent found loose sugar was selling at Tk 85 per kilogram (kg) which was Tk 90 two weeks back.
On the other hand, packed sugar of different brands was selling at Tk 88 per kg on the day which was Tk 90 a few days ago.
The loose sugar was available in all city kitchen markets but the packed one was not available in all markets, including some retail ones or groceries, according to the traders and customers. A kilogram of the sweetener produced by state-run sugar mills was sold at Tk 90 at the city retails a couple of days ago.
Retailers alleged that they were not getting adequate supply of the packed sugar from the local manufacturers.
Meanwhile, onion prices have been reduced further, thanks to waiving of 5.0 per cent customs duty (CD) on the kitchen staple by the government.
A kilogrmme (kg) of local variety of onion was sold between Tk 60 and Tk 65 in the city markets Saturday which was traded at Tk 65-70 in the past two weeks.
Earlier, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) waived the 5.0 per cent CD on onion import with the view to controlling rising prices of the widely-used spice in the local market. However, another form of import tax known as regulatory duty remained in place.
Prices of other essential commodities, including chicken, lentil, edible oil and most of the winter vegetables remained high in the kitchen markets on the day.
Broiler chicken, one of the main sources of protein for the common people, was sold at Tk 180-190 per kg while Sonali variety ranged from Tk 320 to Tk 350 a kg on the day.
One kilo lentil of local variety was sold at Tk 120-125 while imported ones were traded at Tk 90-110.
Bottled soyabean oil (each bottle containing two litres of different brands) was trading at Tk 300-310 on the day.
Prices of green vegetables, including tomato, also remained high. Tomato was sold at Tk 100-120 a kg while green papaya Tk 30-40, brinjal Tk 40-50, ladies finger Tk 50-60, green chili Tk 180-200 and carrot Tk 100-120 a kg on the day.
