Wholesale and retail prices of all types of rice have gone up

News Desk: The price of all types of rice at wholesale and retail level has increased by 3 to 5 takas per kg this month. And it has increased by about 150 takas per bag, which is 300 takass more than last year.

Traders are raising the issue of loss of Aus-Aman paddy in the floods as an excuse. Turning to the market yesterday, it was seen that gold and cocoon rice are being sold at Tk 44 to Tk 48 per kg, which was Tk 40 to Rs 44 earlier.

BR-Atash, which was sold at Tk 48 to Tk 50, is now Tk 52. Miniket is priced at Tk 61 per kg, which was sold at Tk 56 to Tk 58 last month. However, in this time of crisis, the price of fragrant rice has come down considerably.

At present, Kalijira rice is available at Tk 68 to 75 per kg. Traders said the price of fragrant rice has come down mainly due to the closure of hotels and restaurants and non-occurrence of weddings in the last few months due to the epidemic.

At present in the wholesale market, Miniket is being sold at Tk 2,500 to Tk 2,600 per bag (50 kg), Nazirshail at Tk 2,550 to Rs 2,600, pajamas and cutlery at Tk 2,300 and BR-Atash at Tk  2,150 to Rs 2,200.

Sacks of fragrant rice range from 3,300 to 3,800 takas. Babubazar trader Samad Hossain said, "Even though the yield is good, there is no reason to increase the price." But now that flood relief is being provided, that could increase.

Meanwhile, despite the opportunity to import, no rice has come to the market so far. Rafiqul Islam, president of the Naogaon District Rice Mills Association, said the reason for the rise in rice prices was that the price of rice had also started rising in late July.

In the meantime, when the government paved the way for rice imports, the prices remained stable for some days. But so far no one has been reported to have imported rice.

So, the price of rice and paddy has started rising again for two weeks now. 'At present, the price of paddy in the market is Tk 1,100 to Rs 1,120 per quintal, said Rafiqul.

Meanwhile, according to the TCB, fine rice like Nazirshail and Miniket was sold at Tk 55 to Tk 64 per kg on Saturday, up from Tk 50 to Tk 62 a week ago. And at the same time last year, these rice were sold at 47 to 56 takas. In other words, the price of rice has increased by 15 percent this year.