TCB
Egg prices jump by Tk30-35 per dozen, citing high production cost
Eggs have become costlier by Tk 30-35 to Tk 140 per dozen compared with prices two weeks ago in yet another blow to the consumers, especially the lower income people.
Eggs, the most affordable source of protein for lower-income people, are getting pricier at a time when they are struggling with higher cost of living.
On Thursday, this correspondent visited a number of kitchen markets in the capital city to find that depending on the size and quality, a dozen of farm chicken eggs are being sold at Tk 140 to Tk 150. In some places the asking price was even Tk 155 per dozen. The same eggs are sold at super shops at Tk 170-180 per dozen.
Read more: Eggs, meat can be sold at lower prices if govt provides policy support: FBCCI
On the other hand, duck eggs are being sold at Tk 80 per hali ( 4 pieces), and domestic chicken eggs are being sold at Tk60-65 per hali.
A week ago the farm eggs were sold at Tk105 per dozen in the first week of the current month, while domestic chicken eggs sold at Tk 55-60 per hali, and duck eggs at Tk60-65 per hali.
The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), responsible for consumer market monitoring, has acknowledged the price hike of all kinds of eggs.
The market monitoring cell of TCB reports that the egg price increased by Tk 8 to 10 per hali so far in January, compared with the price beginning of this month.
Bangladesh Egg Producers Association president Taher Ahmed Siddiqi told UNB that the demand for eggs usually increases in winter, while production has become stagnant.
Many farms were forced to shut their operations during the pandemic-induced lockdown, and are still closed due to the higher cost of production, and lower prices of eggs.
Production costs have risen by 70-80 percent in one and a half years amid a tectonic surge in feed prices, discouraging many to do trading amid the risk of losses.
Read more: No need to import eggs: Agriculture Minister
Consumers Association of Bangladesh vice-president SM Nazer Hossain said consumers in Bangladesh are passing a hard time amid record price up of commodities for higher inflation.
Farm egg, broiler chicken, and cultured fish are key protein sources for millions of poor in the country, he said.
Prices of all such products have increased forcing a vast population to cut their protein and other nutrition-rich food intake, Nazer said.
TCB to cater to 1 crore low-income families on Tuesday
State-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will start selling essential items at fair prices for one crore low-income families across the country from Tuesday (January 10, 2023).
"Some 10 million families across the country, with cards, will be able to buy the essential items," said a press release signed by Md Humayun Kabir, information officer of the Dhaka Regional office.
Read more: TCB to procure 2.75 crore litres of soybean oil
Each cardholder can buy 1 kg of sugar at Tk 60, 2 kg of lentils at Tk 70 per kg and two litres of soybean oil at Tk 110 per litre.
Eligible people have to buy the items from the shops of distributors or at designated places, it added.
TCB to procure 2.09 litres of soybean oil, 8000 MT of lentil for OMS programme
Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), the state-run marketing agency, will further procure a total of 2.09 crore litres (20.9 million litres) of soybean oil from local and international suppliers without any tender process.
The TCB will also procure 8,000 metric tons of lentil through open tender.
Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) in a virtual meeting on Thursday approved a number of proposals in this regard.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting while members of the cabinet body attended it virtually.
The entire products will be procured for its ongoing open market sales (OMS) programme which has been introduced to control prices of essential commodities across the country.
For long the TCB has been procuring some essential items from local and international suppliers to sell those in the local market under the OMS programme.
As per the proposals, some 44 lakh litres of soybean oil will be procured through direct purchase method (DPM) from Sena Edible Oil Industries., Dhaka, at a cost of Tk 81.18 crore with each litre costing at Tk 184.5.
The TCB will procure 1.10 crore litres of soybean oil from Zad Al Rahil International LLC Sultanate of Oman (Local Agent: Sky Trading) through DPM at a cost of Tk 151.73 crore with litre coasting at 152.86 .
Read: TCB to procure 2.75 crore litres of soybean oil
It will procure another 55 lakh litre of soybean oil from Shun Shing Edible Oil Ltd., Dhaka through DPM at a cost of Tk 101.47 crore. Each litre will cost at Tk 185.5.
The TCB will procure 8,000 metric tons of lentil from Arabel Bakliyat Hububat Santic A.S (Local Agent: BINQ, Dhaka, at a cost of Tk 81.57 crore. Each kg will cost at Tk 101.97.
Besides, as per a proposal of the Ministry of Industries, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will import 30,000 MT of bulk granular urea fertilizer from Fertiglobe Distribution Limited, the UAE at a cost of Tk 153.60 crore under a state level agreement.
As per a proposal of the Agriculture Ministry, another 30,000 MT of TSP fertiliser will be imported by Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) from OCP, S.A of Morocco at a cost of Tk 153.86 crore under a state level agreement.
The Cabinet body approved a proposal of Bangladesh Hi-tech Park Authority under the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division to award a Tk 424.54 crore contract to for Western Engineering Pvt. Ltd., for building of the infrastructure of Sheikh Hasina Institute of Frontier Technology in Madaripur.
Read: TCB to procure 1.65 crore liter of soybean oil, 8,000 MT of lentil
A proposal of the Roads and Highway Department received the nod of the CCGP to award a Tk 1,232.95 crore to Joint Venture of (1) HEGO, China; (2) Mir Akhter, Bangladesh for civil works under the package lot No-DS-o5 of the Sasec Dhaka-Sylhet Corridor Road Development project.
The Cabinet body approved a proposal of the Chattagram WASA to raise the cost of its consultant NIJ Consultants Co. Ltd., for Karnaphuli Water Supply Project (phase-2) by Tk 24.52 crore.
TCB to procure 2.75 crore litres of soybean oil
State-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will procure 2.75 crore (27.5 million) litres of Soybean oil from the local suppliers for its Open Market Sale (OMS) propgramme.
Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) in a virtual meeting on Wednesday approved three separate proposals of the Commerce Ministry in this regard.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting while other members of the committee attended it virtually.
The move of the TCB, a subordinate body of the Commerce Ministry, which has been operating as a state-marketing agency to tame the rising price hike of essentials, is part of the government's plan to procure some essential commodities in bulk and sell those through the OMS programme.
As per the Commerce Ministry's proposals, the TCB will procure the entire edible oils through three open tenders.
Read more: Soybean oil: No real effect of reduced tariff
Under the proposals, some 1.10 crore litres of soybean oil will be procured from privately owned City Edible Oil Limited at a cost of Tk 203.32 crore with cost of each litre at Tk 104.48 per litre.
The similar quantity of soybean oil will be procured from Super Oil Refined Limited at 204.44 crore with each litre cost at Tk 185.95 and some 55 lakh litres of soybean oils will be purchased from Shun Shing Edible Oil Ltd at a cost of Tk 101.47 crore with each litre's price at Tk 184.05.
The CCGP also approved some other procurement proposals, including the procurement of 130,000 metric tons of fertiliser.
Of these, the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) will import 50,000 MW of Muriate of Potash (MOP) fertiliser from Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) at a cost of Tk 344.90 crore with each metric ton cost $655.03.
The Canadian Commercial Corporation will supply another 50,000 MT of MOP at the same price under a separate lot.
State-owned Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will import 30,000 MT of bulk granullar urea from Fertiglobe Distribution Limited, UAE at a cost of Tk 163.75 crore with each metric ton costing Tk $518.33.
The BCIC will also import 10,000 metric tons (MT) of phosphoric acid for its Chattagram TSP Complex Limited from Guizhou Chanhen Chemical Corporation, China (local agent Best Eastern, Dhaka) at a cost of Tk 73 crore.
The CCGP approved a number of proposals of the Housing and Public Works Ministry to raise the cost of civil works under its “Construction of Elevated Expressway from Lalkhan Bazar in Chittagong City to Shah-Amanat Airport” project.
Read more: Bottled soybean oil to cost Tk 14 less per litre from tomorrow
Under the proposals, the cost of the civil construction works No-WD-1 will be increased by Tk 649.02 crore, while cost of the civil works No-WD-1 of “Construction of road from Kalurghat Bridge to Chaktai Canal along the banks of Karnaphuli River” will get higher by Tk 230.05 crore.
The CCGP approved a proposal of the Roads and Highways Department to award a Tk 1,085.34 crore contract to a joint venture of (1) CHSIETC, China; (2) SLGC, China and (3) PDL, Bangladesh to implement the Construction of lot No. DS-06 of the WP-03 package of the “SASEC Dhaka-Sylhet Corridor Road Development” project.
The committee also approved three proposals for the extension costs of the three segments of a project under the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC).
As per the approvals, the cost of the work of No-WP-10 package of the “Sasec Road Link Project-2: Upgradation of Elenga-Hatikamrul-Rangpur highway to 4-lane” will be increased by Tk 211.03 crore while the cost of the work No - WP-11 package of the same project will be increased by Tk 147.65 crore and cost of the works No-WP-12 package will be enhanced by 142.84 crore.
TCB to procure 2.20 cr litres of soybean oil for OMS
The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGO) in a virtual meeting has approved six proposals including two for procurement of soybean oil and import of fertilizer.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting while other members of the committee attended it.
As per a proposal, placed by the Commerce Ministry, state-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will procure 22 million (2.20 crore) litres of Soybean oil from the local suppliers for its open market sale (OMS) programme.
However, it was not immediately known which companies are the suppliers and whether the companies are selected through direct procurement method (DPC) or through open tender process.
Sayeed Mahbub Khan, additional secretary of the Cabinet Division, who briefed about the decisions of the CCGP meeting, said the proposal was placed on the table in an instant move and he had no detailed information on the matter.
Two proposals from the Agriculture Ministry on the import of a total 80,000 metric tons (MT) of fertiliser received the nod of the committee.
Of these, state-owned Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) will import 50,000 MT of Muriate of Potash (MOP) from Canadian Commercial Corporation under state level contract at Tk 358.48 crore.
Also read: TCB to procure 125 lakh litres soybean oil, 5000 kg lentil from 7 local suppliers
Each MT of fertilizer will cost $679.65 while the previous rate of such fertilizer was $778.17 per MT.The BADC will import 30,000 MT of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) fertilizer from OCP, SA of Morocco at a cost of Tk 150.67 crore under state-level contract.
Each MT of TSP will cost $474 while the previous rate of such a product was $687.25 per MT.The committee approved three proposals of Dhaka WASA, placed by the Local Government Division.
Also read:Soybean Oil Substitutes: Some Healthier Options for Cooking, Baking
Of these, Dhaka WASA (Water Supply and Sewerage Authority) will award a Tk 420.06 crore contract to the Joint Venture of (1) CCECC, China; (@) SafBon, China and (3) SMEDI, China for the civil works of the package No-WD-2 under Dhaka Sanitation Improvement Project (DSIP).
Under the same DSIP, Dhaka WASA will award a Tk 229.72 crore contract for civil works of the package No-3 to the Joint Venture of (1) Gypsum Structural India Pvt. Ltd, India; (2) EMIT Group Ercole Marelli Technologici, Italy and (3) Khilari Infrastructure Private Ltd., India.
Under the same project of DSIP, the Dhaka WASA will appoint DOHWA Engineering Co.Ltd., Korea as its consultant at Tk 70.77 crore.
TCB to procure 1.65 crore liter of soybean oil, 8,000 MT of lentil
State-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will procure 1.65 crore (16.5 million) liters of soybean oil from local private firms and 8,000 metric tons of lentil from a Turkish supplier for its ongoing open market sale (OMS) programme.
The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) approved three separate proposals in its meeting on Wednesday. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the meeting.
Import of 90,000 MT of fertiliser also received approval of the committee.
Officials said the purchase of soybean oil and lentils by state-marketing agency TCB is part of its move to run the ongoing OMS operation to sell some essential produces at subsidized rate for the low-income group.
Earlier, the CCGP gave nods to similar proposals placed by the Commerce Ministry on behalf of the TCB. The TCB is a subsidiary body of the Commerce Ministry.
As per the proposals, the TCB will procure 1.10 crore (11 million) liters of soybean oil from local Meghna Edible Oil Refinery Limited at a cost of Tk 189.03 crore with each liter costing Tk 171.85, down from previous rate of Tk 185 per liter.
Read: TCB starts selling essential items for 1 crore low-income families
It will purchase 5.5 million (55 lakh) liters of soybean oil from local Super Oil Refinery limited at Tk 87.97 crore, with each liter costing 156.95 per liter, down from previous Tk 185 per liter.
The TCB will procure some 8000 metric tons of lentil from a Turkish firm at a cost of Tk 70.98 crore, with each kilogram Tk 88.73, down from Tk 110 per kg.
The CCGP also approved two proposals of the Agriculture Ministry to import a total of 90,000 metric tons of fertiliser from abroad under state-level agreements.
As per the proposals, the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) will import 50,000 metric tons of MOP fertiliser from Canadian Commercial Corporation at Tk 437.05 crore and 40,000 MT of DAP fertiliser from OCP, SA of Morocco at a cost of Tk 302.37 crore.
TCB to procure 1.65 cr litres of edible oil from local suppliers again
Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase approved some 10 proposals including procurement of edible oil by the TCB, and fertliser by BADC and BCIC.
Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will again purchase a total of 1.65 crore (16.5 million) litres of edible oil from three local companies to run its open marketing sale (OMS) programme.
The state marketing agency TCB, a subordinate body of the Commerce Ministry, last week received a nod for procuring 2.25 crore (22.5 million) litres of soybean oil and 15,000 metric tons of lentils from local suppliers for the same purpose.
Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) in its meeting on Wednesday approved three new separate proposals, placed by the Commerce Ministry on behalf of TCB in this regard.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the virtual meeting.
As per the decision of the CCGP meeting, the TCB will procure 55 lakh (5.5 million) litres of soybean oil from each of the three companies—Super Oil Refinery Ltd., City Edible Oil Ltd and Meghna Edible Oil Refinery of Dhaka. Each litre will cost Tk 185 and each of the companies will supply the edible oils through two-llitre bottles as per condition of the contract.
The entire consignment will cost Tk 305.25 crore as the TCB will pay Tk101.75 crore to each of the three companies.
The Cabinet body also approved three separate proposals to import a total of 90,000 metric tons of fertiliser from two countries in three lots under G2G deals.
Read: TCB to procure 2.25 litres of soybean oil, 15,000 mts of lentil for OMS
Of these, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) under the Ministry of Agriculture will import 30,000 MT of TSP fertiliser in a single lot from OCP, SA of Morocco while Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will 90,000 MT of urea fertiliser Muntajat of Qatar and Kafco of Bangladesh in three separate lots.
The 30,000 MT fertiliser from Morocco will cost Tk 221.53 crore while each metric ton will cost $687.25 against the previous rate of $ 914.50.
Under the BCIC proposals, the Muntajat will supply a lot of 30,000 MT of bagged prilled urea fertiliser at a cost of Tk 206.59 crore. Each MT of fertiliser will cost724.50 against the previous rate of $563.33.
The Mutajat will supply another lot of 30,000 MT bulk granuller urea at Tk 209.10 crore. Each metric ton will cost $733.33 MT against a previous rate $ 630.83.
The Committee also approved a proposal of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) to award contracts for printing, binding and supplying of 11.20 lakh textbooks for the students from class I to VII for the 2023 session-year at Tk 489.25 crore.
The contracts will be awarded to 83 companies in 182 lots, said Abdul Barik, additional secretary of the Cabinet Division while briefing reporters.
A proposal of the Public Works Department under the Housing and Public Works Ministry received a nod to award a Tk 41.86 crore contract to Mazid Sons Constructions Ltd for external electrification works of 2 buildings at Rooppur Green City Housing Complex.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in principle approved two separate proposals to award contracts through direct purchase method.
Of these, Bangladesh Army will execute dredging and river bank protection works at Majhirchar of Dohar area and elevation of ground level of army installations, wave protection and arrow defense works at Army Establishment in Mithamoin Upazila of Kishorganj District.
TCB to procure 2.25 litres of soybean oil, 15,000 mts of lentil for OMS
State-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will procure 2.25 crore (22.5 million) litres of soybean oil and 15,000 metric tonnes of lentils from local private firms through direct procurement method (DPM) for its open market sale (OMS) programme .
Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) approved a number of separate proposals placed by the Commerce Ministry in this regard as the TCB, the state marketing agency under the ministry, will buy the commodities under different lots.
Read:TIB’s report on TCB products not based on proper information: Commerce Minister
As per the proposals, some 30,00,000 litres of soybean oil will be procured from Basundhara Multi Food Products Ltd at a cost of Tk 54.90 crore while 55,00,000 litres from City Edible Oil Ltd at Tk 101.75 crore, 85,00,000 litres from Meghna Edible Oil Refinery Limited at 156.63 crore, and 55,00,00 litres from Super Oil Refinery Ltd at a cost of Tk 101.75 crore.
Each litre of soybean oil will cost between Tk 183 and Tk 185. All the quantities of soybean oil will be procured through direct procurement method sidelining the open tender procedure.
The TCB will procure 5,000 mts of lentil each from Blue Sky Enterprises Dhaka, Masud & Brothers of Chattogram Masud & Brothers, Chattogram and Ruby Food Products Ltd., of Chattogram
Each kg of lentil will cost Tk 110, the same price from all firms, while the entire 15,000 mts will cost Tk 165 crore.
The Cabinet body also approved two separate proposals of the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) under the Agriculture Ministry to procure a total of 90,000 metric tons of fertilizer.
Read: TCB to procure 125 lakh litres soybean oil, 5000 kg lentil from 7 local suppliers
Of the bulk agro-inputs, some 50,000 MT of Muriate of potash (MOP) fertiliser will be imported from Canadian Commercial Corporation at a cost of Tk 386.19 crore with each metric ton costing $812.62 while previous price was $914.
Some 40,000 mt of DAP fertilizer will be imported by BADC from OCP, SA of Morocco at cost of Tk 296.93 crore with each metric ton costing $781 against an earlier price of $914.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs at a meeting approved in principle two separate proposals on rice import.
As per a proposal, the Directorate General of Food will import 400,000 metric tons of rice through direct purchase method (DMP) from rice exporting countries.
Under another proposal, the Directorate General of Food was allowed to curtail the 42 days obligation to 15 days for submission of tender proposal by suppliers to procure rice from the international market to facilitate emergency import of rice.
TIB’s report on TCB products not based on proper information: Commerce Minister
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Wednesday rejected a report of Transparency International Bangladesh’s (TIB) on the product sale of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), saying that the report wasn’t prepared based on accurate information.
The Minister said this at a press briefing on TIB’s report at the conference room of the Commerce Ministry at the Secretariat.
The graft watchdog recently published a report titled "Governance Challenges in TCB's Family Card Programme" where it claimed that the targeted population in many cases did not get the benefit of the scheme due to lack in transparency, irregularities and corruption.
“Following the Prime Minister’s order, TCB is selling daily essentials among one crore family card owners through selected dealers. The products are being sold in a disciplined and timely manner due to the uses of QR codes. In this digitalized process, a person can’t buy TCB goods several times as in the past,” said the Minister.
Read: TCB to start selling for 10 million families from Mar 20: Minister
Tipu added that the list of family card owners has been prepared through consultation with public representatives and the local administrations.
“We are trying to sell TCB goods among those who need them the most. Family cards are letting people buy TCB goods in a hassle-free and systematic manner. The government is providing 100 percent subsidies to continue selling goods through TCB. Most importantly, family card owners are buying essentials from TCB at their convenience, which wasn’t possible earlier,” added Tipu
During the briefing, the Minister warned that strict action will be taken against those who’ll create anomalies while distributing TCB goods.
Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Senior Secretary of the Commerce Ministry, Brigadier General Md Ariful Hasan, Chairman of TCB and AHM Shafiquzzaman, Director General (DG) of Directorate of National Consumers Right Protection, among others, were present during the briefing.
TCB to procure 125 lakh litres soybean oil, 5000 kg lentil from 7 local suppliers
Trading Corporation of Bangladesh will directly procure some 125 lakh litres (12.5 million litre) of soybean oil and 5000 kilogram of lentil from 7 local suppliers without following any competitive process.
Cabinet committee on government purchase (CCGB) in a meeting, with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in the chair, gave approval to the proposals in this regard.
Commerce Ministry placed the proposals on behalf of the TCB, the state marketing agency.
As per the proposals, some 40 lakh (4 million) litre of the edible will be procured from Super Oil Refinery at Tk 173.95 per liter while remaining 85 lakh (8.5 million) litre will be purchased from three suppliers at Tk 171 per liter.
Of the three suppliers, Shun Shing Edible Oil Ltd, a subsidiary company of Bangladesh Edible Oil Limited (BEOL), will supply 20 lakh litre while Bashundhara Multi Food Products Limited (BMFPL), a subsidiary of Bashundhara Group, will supply 35 lakh litre and Sena Edible Oil Industry, a subsidiary of Sena Kalyan Sangstha Bangladesh, will provide 30,000 litre of soybean oil.
The 40 lakh litre of the edible oil will cost Tk 69.58 crore while 85 lakh litre will cost Tk 145.35 crore.
Some 5000 kg of lentil will be procured from three suppliers at cost of Tk 55.50 crore with each kg price at Tk 111.
Of these, some 3000 kg will be purchased from ACI Limited, 1000 kg from Nadil Traders and 1000 from Roy Traders.
Read: TCB to procure soyabean oil, lentil and sugar from business groups
Abdul Barik, Additional secretary of the Cabinet, who briefed reporters about the outcomes of the Cabinet body meeting, said the TCB will procure the commodities through direct procurement method (DPM) showing the cause of emergency needs.
The TCB, a subordinate body of the Commerce Ministry, will sell these goods to people at controlled rates as part of the government’s open market sale (OMS) programe, he added.
The CCGP also approved another 13 proposals from different ministries.
Of these, the state-owned Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) will procure some 120,000 metric tons of fertilizer from four international suppliers.
Of these, 30,000 mt of bagged prilled urea fertilizer will be procured from Muntajat of Qatar at a cost Tk 152.50 crore, while another 30,000 mt bagged granular from Kafco at Tk 151.57 crore.
Some 30,000 mt of bulk granular urea will be imported from SABIC Agri-nutrients Company of Saudi Arabia at Tk 151.88 crore and another 30,000 mt from the same Saudi company at Tk 149.08 crore.
Each metric ton of urea from the four lots will cost between $443.35 and $524.50 which earlier cost between $588 and $557.87 per metric ton.
This shows that the cost of urea fertilizer is decreasing in the global market which had crossed $1000 immediately after the Russia-Ukraine war began.
Six separate proposals from the Chattagram Port Authority under the Ministry of Shipping received the nod of the committee to hire six berth operators at the port for next 5 years.