Salt also rose up in price last week following the sky-rocketing trends in other essential prices.
Maximum retail price (MRP) of the branded iodised salt increased by Tk 3.0-4.0 per packet as sold at Tk 36-40 a kg in different groceries and shops on Saturday.
On the other hand, loose salt retailed at Tk 26-30 a kg.
Some groceries had old packets but they were selling at Tk 1.0-2.0 a kg higher than the packet rates, according to market sources.
The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has found an 11-per cent hike in salt prices on average in a week.
Md Rabbani, a grocer across Sher-e-Bangla Road at Mohammadpur, told the FE that refined companies raised MRP by Tk 2.0 a kg and they were selling salt of different brands at Tk 38-40.
Md Ali Azam, a Rayerbazar grocer, said loose salt price has increased by 55-56 per maund (37.32 kg) at Moulvibazar wholesale market in a week.
Lokman Hossain, a trader based at Karwanbazar, said a surge in transport costs has forced the companies to raise salt prices.
Salt mills in Narayanganj usually deliver salt at the doors of the traders in Dhaka, he added.
They are now counting Tk 1.0-1.5 a kg as an additional vehicle fare for a hike in diesel prices, according to Mr Hossain.
An official at the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) said salt production was a record 1.83-million tonnes in fiscal year 2021-22 against the demand for 1.7-1.8 million tonnes.
There is no shortage of salt for now as companies have plenty of supply, he commented.
Meanwhile, prices of all kinds of fish have witnessed a further hike by Tk 40-100 a kg in a week.
Seasonal hilsa was selling at Tk 850-1,700 a kg depending on size. All kinds of cultured fish showed a Tk 40-50 hike per kg.
Cultured koi was sold at Tk 220-250, pangas at Tk 180-230 and cultured rui at Tk 280-400 a kg.
Loose soybean oil price surged by Tk 4.0-6.0 as sold at Tk 176-180 a litre against the government-fixed rate of Tk 175.
Super palm oil was sold at Tk 150-152 a litre, marking a Tk 4.0 hike a litre.
