Government to import potatoes
The government has now decided to import potatoes. The commerce ministry has stated that the decision to import potatoes has been taken to increase the supply in the market as well as to keep the price stable, considering the current market condition. Interested importers have been requested to apply at the commerce ministry.
The government took the decision to import potatoes after the price of this extensively used commodity shot up by at least Tk 10 per kg in the last three days. Though the government had decided to import eggs about one and a half months ago, no eggs have been imported yet.
As the prices of daily commodities went up midway through September, the commerce ministry fixed the prices of potatoes, eggs and local onions. None of those prices were implemented in the market. Though the prices of edible oil and sugar are fixed almost every month, these products are sold at higher prices in the market.
The government had fixed the retail price of potato at Tk 35 to 36 per kg. Potatoes are now being sold at double the price for Tk 60 to 70 per kg. The price of potato was within Tk 50 to 60 even on last Thursday.
Sellers told Prothom Alo that there’s a crisis on potato supply. Besides, the demand for potatoes has increased owing to the rising prices of other vegetables. Many sellers believe that too has led the price to go up.
The government initially gave permission to import 40 million (4 crore) eggs on last 18 September. Later, a total of 15 companies were given permission to import 150 million (15 crore) eggs in phases. So far no eggs have been imported in the country yet and the price of eggs has not decreased either.
On behalf of the companies that were given permission to import eggs it was said at different times that the eggs would arrive soon, but in the end not even a single egg has arrived in the country.