Mutton sells @Tk 350 a kg, Govt instruction ignored

Swarup Battacharjee

The price of Soyabean oil varies at different city markets in Chittagong though the government and the traders fixed the selling rates of edible oil until March 9 to contain the overheating market.

Earlier the mill-gate price of soyabean oil was fixed at Tk 103.50 and palm oil at Tk 96.50 per kg while the maximum retail price of soya bean oil was capped at Tk 106 a kg and that of palm oil at Tk 99.

But the price of soyabean oil fluctuated between Tk 110 and Tk 115 in yesterday’s markets. The oil was selling at Tk 110 and Tk 115 in the markets including Reazuddin Bazar, Kazir Dewry Bazar, Karnafully Market and Chawkbazar . Some were realizing between Tk 108 to Tk 112 per liter.

While visiting different markets, this correspondent found soyabean oil selling at Tk 110 a kg at Cheragi Hill area retail shops, Tk 112 at another shop “ Sharif Bros” only 200 yards from the same shop while Rupchanda oil was Tk 111 a liter at Lucky Store A government employee told this correspondent, traders are cheating the customers but there is none to monitor it. He stressed government monitoring in this regard.

CU officials Mrinal Battacharjee, Govt employee Abdur Rahman and teacher Monwara voiced the same.

A trader at Reazuddin Bazar, Abdul Kalam said, as the wholesale price is high, the retail price goes up accordingly. Again sugar sold at between Tk 38-40 while some other shops also sold at Tk 36. Poultry market saw a slump following bird flu rumour subsequently affecting the egg market.

Beef and mutton were on high demand as buyers were reluctant about ducks raising the price of mutton to Tk 350 a kg. Fish market remained unchanged with Rui(carp) selling at Tk 120-135 a kg, carpu(hybrid fish) at Tk 120-125, Mrigal Tk 120-135, pompret (popa) between Tk 70-75 while koral sold at Tk 200 a kg.