file image.
Special Correspondent/

In Chaktai-Khatunganj, the country’s largest consumer goods market, prices of sugar, onion and ginger are increasing unabated. Many of these products are under the control of syndicates. Even though the government has fixed the price of sugar, importers and traders are not paying attention. They are increasing the price of sugar and selling it at will.

The price of sugar is controlled by a few syndicates in this market (Chaktai-Khatunganj). They are destabilizing the sugar market by showing artificial crisis. Selling at a higher price than the fixed price. Meanwhile, packaged sugar has largely disappeared from the market. Consumers are in trouble due to this increase in price.

Chittagong market is now selling onions for more than Tk 80 per kg. The price of ginger is also increasing without any reason. The vegetable market continues to boom. No vegetable is available for less than 70 rupees. Abnormal prices of daily commodities increase the living conditions of middle and low income people.

On May 11, the government fixed the price of sugar.

The fixed price is Tk 115 millgate price per kg refined sugar (open), distributor price Tk 117 and retail price Tk 120 and per kg refined sugar (packet) millgate Tk 115, distributor price Tk 121 and retail price Tk 125. But sugar is not being sold anywhere in Chittagong at this price.

Businessmen of Chaktai-Khatunganj said that the government has fixed the price of sugar in two steps at the retail level. There is no impact at the consumer level due to lack of oversight. The government fixed the price of open sugar at Rs 120 per kg. But in the wholesale market of Khatunganj, sugar granules (37.32 kg) are being sold for Tk 4,600. It is being sold at 123.32 taka per kg. The traders also said that the mill owners had increased the price of sugar a few days ago. Importers are increasing the price of sugar with various tricks.

There are allegations that importers and mill owners syndicated to reduce the supply of sugar. Then the price was increased. It is said that the price of sugar is increasing due to reduced supply. Common buyers said that the government had fixed the retail price of sugar at Tk 104 for the first time. At that time, sugar was sold in the market at Tk 120-125. Now fixed at 120 taka but it is selling at 135 taka in the market.

That is, sugar is being sold at a price 20 rupees higher than the price set by the government. The government is only settling the liability by fixing the price. There is no administration supervision at the field level. Traders are bound to sell sugar at the price set by the government. Because few industrial groups in our country are involved in sugar import, refining and marketing. The sugar market in their Calcutta is getting unstable.

Meanwhile in Chaktai-Khatunganj the price of local onion is increasing. Within a week, the price of the product increased by more than Rs. 20 per kg. A visit to several markets in Chittagong shows that good quality onion is being sold at Tk 80 per kg in the retail market, which was Tk 65 to Tk 70 last week. A month ago, the price of onion in Chaktai-Khatunganj wholesale market was from 32 to 35 taka. Now the wholesale price of onion has dropped from Tk 60 to Tk 62 per kg.

On the other hand, the daily essential product is being sold at a price of more than 80 rupees per kg in the retail market. Onion import through Chittagong port has been stopped since last March. Besides, the import through the land port is also closed. So now we have to completely depend on desi onions. Onions are being brought from Pabna, Kushtia, Rajbari and Faridpur to meet the demand. As a result, the price of onion is increasing.

While the price of garlic did not change much during the week, the price of ginger increased. A kg of garlic (imported and native) is being sold at Tk 150 to Tk 180. And ginger has increased from Tk 40 to Tk 50 per kg. Imported ginger is being sold at 280 to 300 Tk. China ginger (large size) is selling at Tk 380 per kg.

Khatunganj onion trader Kamrul Hasan said that there is a crisis in the market due to the stop of onion import. Due to this, the price of onion is increasing rapidly. If import is not allowed, the price of onion will increase further.

Market price: The price of vegetables in the raw market of Chittagong is not decreasing. The vegetable market has been on the rise for a long time. Most of the vegetables are selling above 60 rupees. Eggplant 60, chichinga 70, tomato 50, barbati 80, potal 80, lathi 50, dhundal 90, dhendra 100, bitter gourd 100 per kg are being sold on Friday. There is no relief in the fish market either. Rui 300 per kg, Katla 300 to 320, Pangas 220, Shing 550, Tengra 450, Kai 250 and Shrimp 600 per kg are being sold in the market. Pabda 400, tengra 450, horn and sea coral are being sold at Tk 500 per kg. Besides, broiler chicken is being sold at 215 to 220, cock 340 and Pakistani layer 320 per kg. And beef is being sold at Tk 780 to Tk 800 and Khasi at Tk 1100 per kg.