In the capital’s market, the cost of narrow miniket rice has gone up once more. This rice is favored by middle-class consumers.
According to traders, miniket rice prices have gone up by roughly five taka per kilogram during the last two weeks. They claim that the price of Nazirshail, another narrow rice, has gone up by one to two taka per kilogram as a result of the miniket price hike.
The miniket rice supply is running low, according to traders. The Boro season is when this rice will be grown. Boro rice is now being grown by farmers. The price can decrease if Boro has a good harvest.
Coarse and medium rice prices have not gone up. All varieties of rice are already expensive, though. The price of rice is not falling much, despite the government importing it directly and supporting the private sector.
In the market, miniket rice from brands like Mozammel, Sagar, Diamond, Rashid, and others is well-liked. Miniket rice from names like Rashid, Diamond, Sagar, and others costs 85 taka or slightly more per kilogram in retail stores, according to a visit to the capital’s Mohammadpur Agricultural Market, Town Hall Market, Taltola Bazar, and Karwan Bazar. The most expensive miniket rice is Mozammel brand, which costs between 98 and 100 taka per kilogram.
Touhidul Islam, a retail rice seller at Mohammadpur Agricultural Market, told Prothom Alo, “I bought Mozammel rice from a wholesale shop for 95 taka per kg; I am selling it for 100 taka. And the price of other minikets is also above 85 taka. With the price hike, the sale of minikets has decreased compared to before.”
Good quality Nazirshail rice is available for 84-85 taka per kg. Normal quality Nazirshail rice is sold for 72-75 taka and medium quality Nazirshail for 80-82 taka per kg. The price is a little higher in small markets and neighborhood grocery stores.
Meanwhile, the Food Ministry said in a statement yesterday that the price hike of miniket rice alone does not reflect the market price of the entire rice. The government has built up adequate food stocks; it has also continued to import rice from abroad. There will be no rice crisis in the country.
Usually, the price of Nazirshail rice is higher than miniket rice. This time, it is seen that miniket has surpassed Nazirshail. Many families are in trouble due to the high prices of the two popular middle-class rice varieties.
Sabrina Alam, a resident of Sheorapara in the capital, told Prothom Alo that she used to buy Mozammel brand rice. The price of this rice has increased by more than Tk 12 per kg in three months. She said that she is now buying BR-28 variety rice instead of Mozammel.
A kilogram of good quality coarse rice is now priced at Tk 55-56. Medium rice is being bought at Tk 58 to 65. According to the government agency Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), the price of medium rice is now 14 percent higher per kg and the price of coarse rice is 15 percent higher than a year ago.
Prices have increased in Kushtia and Naogaon
Prices have increased in Naogaon and Kushtia, one of the largest rice wholesale markets in the country. In Kushtia, the price of miniket rice has increased by seven taka per kg. Miniket rice is being sold at 84 taka per kg at the mill gate. On the other hand, the price of miniket rice in Naogaon has increased by three to four taka per kg in a week.
Rice mill owners are blaming the increase in paddy prices. Joynal Abedin, general secretary of the Kushtia branch of the Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mill Owners Association, said that this crisis will continue until Boro rice comes to the market.
The price of coarse rice is stable. Some rice is coming from India. It is mainly of the Kataribhog variety. The price is 70-72 taka per kg.
Kushtia District Food Controller Al Wajiur Rahman told Prothom Alo, “The price has stopped here for now. However, I don’t know whether it will stop in the future or not.” Because the price of rice in the market is rising and the supply is low.
