The import of kitchenware has been shrinking gradually in the country as local companies have captured a major share of the domestic market.
Local manufacturers are now steadily expanding their kitchenware lines such as pressure cooker, rice cooker, non-sticky frying pan and gas-burner, reducing dependence on import of such items.
Some companies even have been exporting kitchenware after meeting the domestic demand, said insiders.
Rising income of the booming middle class has greatly contributed to the modernisation of kitchens over the last two decades.
This upgrade has helped make a Tk 60 billion crockery market in the country over this period with a 10-12 per cent growth rate year on year, according to the Bangladesh Crockery Merchants Association (BCMA).
And kitchenware now account for more than 50 per cent of the crockery market, it said.
According to the BCMA, 2.5 million units of gas-burner, 4.0 million cookers and 2.0 million units of non-sticky frying pan were sold in 2017.
Thirty-five Bangladeshi companies, including Kiam, HAMKO, RFL, Walton, Royalex Metal, Delhi Aluminum and Sharif Melamine, have been manufacturing such cookware in their plants.
Local brands have grabbed the crockery shelf, replacing imported brands like Prestige, Hawkins, Bajaj, Butterfly or Premier, according to crockery shop owners in the city.
Pressure cookers and rice cookers of local brands, suitable both for induction and gas cookers, are priced at Tk 850 (2.0 litres, aluminum) to Tk 3600 (5.0 litres, stainless steel).
The prices of non-sticky frying pans range between Tk 300 (16 cm) and Tk 2500 (32 cm) while local auto-stoves and gas-burners are selling at Tk 1200 to Tk 4500.
In the last one decade, the companies accounted for more than 70 per cent of cookware sales in the country.
Kiam Metal Industries Ltd, a sister concern of BRB Group, first started manufacturing pressure cookers in the country at their Kushtia plant in 1994.
The company is now dominating the cookware market with 'Kiam' brand products.
Md Ashraful Alam, general manager of the company, said: "Crockery has become a vital part of every dining room not only for its utility but also it can lend grandeur even to a little dwelling".
He said local companies earlier made only traditional cookware like saucepan, dish, frying pan (korai), rice bowls and curry bowls.
"We were once totally dependent on import of pressure cooker, auto-stove and so on," he said.
"Now many of us are rather exporting such items after meeting domestic demand," he added.
His company is going to start producing induction cooker from next year, he said.
He suggested lowering import duty on some raw materials to encourage local factories to expand kitchenware lines such as induction cooker, rice cooker and curry cooker.
His company is now exporting 25,000 to 30,000 pieces of aluminum cooker and non-sticky frying pan to the USA, Canada, Australia, France, Malaysia, Mauritius, India and Bhutan per month.
Proprietor of Nilphamari-based Royalex Metal Industries Puja Poddar told the FE that high import duty on some raw materials is creating a barrier to manufacturing rice cooker locally.
Royalex Metal produces Noah brand pressure cookers and frying pans.
Puja said her company has been making pressure cooker and non-stick frying pan, suitable for both gas burner and induction cookers.
Her company is also exporting pressure cooker and frying pans to India and Bhutan.
She said there are 37 per cent import duty on various parts of rice and curry cookers like heating plate, thermostat, magnet and electric socket, which are not produced in the country.
The government can waive the import duty on such items for the betterment of the sector, she suggested.
Also, the government should take stern action against those resorting to under-invoicing and misdeclaration of crockery items to save the local industry, she added.
PRAN RFL director (marketing) Kamruzzaman Kamal said making the whistle and the aluminum circle of a pressure cooker in the country is a major challenge.
It takes years for local companies to produce the items, he said.
RFL is manufacturing cookers, auto-stoves, non-sticky frying pans under the brand name of Topper.
It is marketing its induction cooker under the brand name of 'Vision'.
The company is also manufacturing traditional cookware under the brand name of 'Bright'.
Another company HAMKO, better known for their battery, has been making pressure cookers, frying pans and gas burners since 2016.
Deputy Manager of HAMKO Tofayel Hossain said women now prefer pressure cookers and frying pans of local brands for their quality, competitive price and warranty.
He said his company's pressure cooker comes with a 12-year warranty.
Secretary of Bangladesh Crockery Merchants Association (BCMA) Md Ziaur Rahman told the FE that the demand for gas burners and rice cookers has been rising in the country significantly.
He said over 9.5 million pieces of cookers, stoves and frying pans were sold last year.
"Sale of kitchenware may increase by 10-12 per cent in the current calendar year," he added.
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