Prices of onion, sugar, chicken and fish rose further last week increasing sufferings of the consumers who have been hit-hard by a series of hikes recently in costs of many essential items.
Onion became costlier again last week with newly-harvested seed onion, known as murikata, selling at Tk 120-130 per kilogram (kg) on Thursday while imported varieties were retailing at Tk 60-100 a kg based on their quality---Tk 10-20 hike in seven days.
Murikata was traded at Tk 95-110 at city wholesale markets, including Shyambazar, Karwan Bazar and Rayer Bazar-Beribandh on the day.
The state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) recorded a 32-per cent hike in local onion prices in the past week.
Contacted, Md Sahidul Islam, proprietor of M/S Alhaj Vandar at Shyambazar, told the FE that local onion prices increased by 10-12 a kg at Rajbari, Faridpur, Pabna, Natore, Kushtia and other places in the last few days.
He mentioned that supply of murikata has been declining as harvests in many places compete.
He said the seed onion will cover up the demands in the markets until seasonal (known as haali) onion hits the market in February.
Sugar prices, which increased at wholesale level two weeks back, started to rise at the retail from the last week.
Loose sugar was sold at Tk 64-70 a kg on Thursday -Tk 4.0-5.0 a kg hike in a week.
Private refiners raised prices in excuse of high import cost amid higher taxes and VATs in various phases, said sources.
However, the global commodity web portal IndexMundi-recorded sugar price was almost static in the world market for the last six months. IndexMundi recorded price of the sweetener was between US $260-$285 per tonne.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Secretary Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan said onion market needs to be monitored in regular basis by the government agencies this year too.
He said there is a chance of making any artificial shortage of the cooking spice by the unscrupulous traders with end of harvests by the farmers.
He said sugar and edible oil prices have been raised by the refiners in recent weeks despite having an almost static global price trend of the essential two commodities.
He further said the traders have urged the government to minimise existing high tariffs so that they can keep prices stable.
"So, the commerce ministry and the finance ministry should work to minimnise higher taxes and VATs over edible oil and sugar in many phases -- from import to refining and marketing level--- to make traders fix logical prices, he added.
Indigenous fish and all kinds of chicken also became costlier last week which traders attributed to the New-Year eve that caused surge in demands both from households and restaurants.
