Govt fixes 6 commodities’ price ahead of Ramadan

The Department of Agriculture Marketing (DAM) has fixed the price of six essential commodities ahead of the holy month of Ramadan so that no businessman could make excessive profit pursuing unholy means.

The goods are chickpeas, onion, edible oil, lentil (mosoor dal), sugar and dates.

Talking to BSS, DAM director general Mohammad Yusuf said several government agencies headed by the Ministry of Commerce will regularly monitor the markets to ensure selling of essential products with this newly-fixed price.

As per the new prices, the price of per kilogram (kg) chickpeas in retail market would be in between Tk 63 to Tk 67, per kg onion Tk 40, one liter edible oil bottle Tk 139, five-liter edible oil bottle Tk 660, big sized lentil Tk 67 to Tk 69 per kg, small sized lentil Tk 97 to Tk 103 per kg, and sugar Tk 67 to Tk 68 per kg.

Besides, the price of general standard dates would be Tk 80 to Tk 100 per kg, while the price of medium standard dates would be Tk 200 to Tk 250 per kg.

Yusuf pointed out that usually the demand for some essential commodities remain comparatively high during the Ramadan compared to other times of the year.

During this time, some dishonest traders try to make excessive profit creating artificial crisis of some essential items.

“In order to check such ill attempts, prices of such goods have been fixed reviewing the local and international markets as well as in consultation with businessmen concerned and government and private organisations,” Yusuf said.

He informed that the prices of six essential items have been fixed by considering their annual and Ramadan month demand as well as their production, volume of import and import cost, the wholesale and retail price.

He also apprised that there is sufficient stock and supply of these six essential products in the country.

Yusuf said they have fixed such prices as per the concerned law on agriculture marketing while some 34 monitoring teams comprised of representatives from the ministries of commerce, agriculture and food, city corporations and law enforcement agencies would keep their strong vigilance in the capital.

He cautioned that stringent action would be taken through conducting special drives if anyone tries to make excessive profit by skyrocketing the prices of these items.