The price of broiler chicken eggs in the markets around Dhaka have soared to tk 170-180 (Tk 14-15/piece) per dozen in a span of a week. Local chicken eggs are also being sold at Tk 220-230 per dozen in some places around the city. Market experts and people involved with the egg market say mismanagement in the market is responsible for such an instability in egg prices. Alam, president of Baridhara Notun Bazar Owners Association, told UNB, "I think the price of eggs is increasing repeatedly due to market mismanagement. Mismanagement of supply and lack of oversight are responsible for creating unstable conditions in the market. The reason behind such frequent surge in product prices should be identified.” Read: Eggs to be imported if required : Minister He said the concerned agency should play an effective role in controlling this frequent surge in price of products in the market. “Otherwise, the rate at which the price of eggs is increasing cannot be controlled,” Alam said. Nadeem, a customer at Gulshan kitchen market, told UNB that there is a weakness in the market monitoring system, as a result, the traders are increasing the price frequently. He also urged the concerned agency to take effective action in this regard. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Poultry Association (BPA), an association of local farmers producing eggs and chickens, has called for coordination in the market management to ensure fairness of the price. BPA President Sumon Hawlader told UNB, "Monitoring of the market has to be strengthened. The price of egg and chicken should be adjusted at a reasonable rate keeping the cost of production in mind.” “In this way, market conditions will be normal. The government has to take steps to ensure that no syndicate can create instability. Otherwise, it will be difficult to control the price of eggs,” he said. According to Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) the price of broiler chicken eggs stood at Tk 140-150 per dozen last week, reflecting a significant 10 percent surge compared to the week before. Read: Hike in egg price: Consumer Rights Protection body realises Tk 10,000 in fine in Faridpur According to the Bangladesh Egg Producers Association, the country requires between 35 and 40 million eggs per day to meet demand. And the majority of the eggs are sourced from domestic producers. The Department of Livestock reports that over the last 10 fiscal years, the nation's egg production has more than doubled. The country produced 1,017 crores of eggs in 2013–14, and 2,338 crores of eggs in 2022–23. Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim told UNB, "According to the survey of our Livestock Department, it costs more than Tk 10.50 to produce an egg. Even If we take other costs and profit into consideration, it seems to me that the price of an egg should not be fixed at more than Tk 12.” “If Tk 12 per egg is set, the producers will benefit. Apart from this, if someone tries to create instability in the market, the authorities will take necessary action under the Consumer Rights Protection Act, 2009.” Read more: Egg prices jump by Tk30-35 per dozen, citing high production cost Regarding whether the ministry will fix the price, Rezaul Karim said, "It is not a matter of fixing the price. Earlier, in 2010, there was an issue of fixing the price of chicks. In that case, the court questioned whether the ministry could fix the price in this way.” Meanwhile, the government is also considering importing eggs from outside to bring stability to the egg market. Responding to a question regarding egg import, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said at an event on Sunday morning that the Commerce Ministry cannot import eggs without the cooperation of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. “The decision to import eggs will be taken only after the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock gives a green signal.” Read more: Efforts on to break syndicates behind essentials’ price hike :Commerce minister However, when asked about the commerce minister's statement, the livestock minister said, "We will consider the issue of importing eggs in a different way." “Whether the Commerce Ministry will consider this issue independently or not is up to them. I think, with the current production rate of eggs in the country, there will be no need for imports if we can ensure proper management of the market.” On fixing the price of eggs, the commerce minister said that if the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock decides the market price for eggs, then the Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection will be conducting raids to ensure control of the price of eggs. With the egg market suddenly unstable, the Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection are already conducting raids in various warehouses in the capital and imposing fines, he said. Read more: In the EU’s inflation crisis, the humble egg takes the cake

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.

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.  

Dhaka, Jun 15 (UNB) - The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), the state-run marketing agency, will procure 1.92 crore litres of soyabean oil, 13,500 mts of lentils and 15,000 mts of sugar from different private business groups. Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) at a meeting, with Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal in chair, approved different proposals of the Commerce Ministry in this regard on Wednesday. According to the decision, the TCB will procure a total of 1.92 crore litres of soyabean oil at a rate Tk 201 per litre from Bashundhara Multifood, Sinha Edible Oil, Sonsing Edible Oil, Meghna Edible Oil, Super Oil Refinery and the City Edible Oil. Read: Continue sell of TCB goods across country: HC Secretary of the Cabinet Division Zillur Rahman said that the government will procure the essential items from these groups through negotiation by pursuing the direct purchase method (DPM). He also informed that the TCB will procure 15,000 metric tons of sugar at a total cost of Tk 123.05 crore from the Meghna Sugar Refinery Ltd and the City Sugar Industries Ltd. Each kg of sugar in a single packet will cost Tk 84 while each kg of a 50 kg bag will cost Tk 81. The TCB will procure some 13,500 metric tons of lentil at a cost of Tk 158. 62 crore from ACI Pure Flour Ltd; Sena Kalyan Sangstha; NS Construction; Bangladesh Edible Oil Ltd.; Nabil Naba Foods Ltd.; and Ease Services Ltd. Each kg of lentil will cost Tk 117.5. The additional secretary said that the government will distribute these products among the poor families through a programme. The Cabinet Committee also approved a number of proposals from Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) to import 70,000 metric tons of DAP fertiliser and 30,000 metric tons TAP fertiliser from different countries. A proposal of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) received approval of the committee to import 30,000 metric tons of urea fertiliser from Fertiglobe Distribution Limited, UAE. The additional secretary informed that Bangladesh was able to import this fertiliser from different countries at a relatively lower prices due to its long term contract with them.   END/UNB/SH/FH/1709 Hrs

The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will start open market sale (OMS) of some essential commodities including edible oil from mid of May in Dhaka and other divisional cities. The ministry is working to re-fix the prices of essentials including edible as their prices have gone up on the global market, said an additional secretary to the Commerce Ministry. Also read: Govt approves fresh hike in edible oil price effective Friday Primarily the TCB will engage 400 trucks for OMS after fixing the prices of commodities, he said. In the month of Ramadan, the TCB sold soybean oil at Tk110 per liter, but the price of soybean and other edible oil jumped bothon local and global markets, so it is needed to re-fix the prices of TCB’s edible oil and other commodities, the official said. Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi will brief reports on edible oil supply and management issue at his secretariat office on Monday, senior information officer of the ministry Abdul Latif Bakshi  told UNB on Sunday. Also read: Around 23 million litre soybean oil arrives at Chittagong port amid growing demand Besides, Tipu Munshi will talk formally with the traders, edible oil importers and refiners regarding the current situation of edible oil price and supply in the market.

The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will start selling essential items at fair prices for 1 crore low-income families on Sunday. The government has already prepared a list of 87 lakh card holders who will get 2 liters of edible oil, 2 kgs sugar and 2 kgs lentils. The TCB will arrange ‘truck sale’ across the country to sell edible oil at Tk 110 per kg,  sugar at Tk 55 per kg, lentil at Tk 65 per kg and onion at Tk 30 per kg In order to facilitate the sale of TCB's products in a systematic manner, a list of these families has been prepared and special family cards have been distributed. Also read: Crowds growing around TCB trucks, women lack the access Of these, 12 lakh families in Dhaka North and South City Corporation and 90 thousand families in Barisal City Corporation could not be issued the family cards. And  so, all of TCB's products will be sold to them through mobile trucks. The list has been prepared with the help of Deputy Commissioners, Upazila Nirbahi Officers and people's representatives at the union level considering the local population and poverty indicators. TCB Chairman Brigadier General Md. Ariful Hassan told UNB that in the first phase each beneficiary family will get 2 liters of edible oil, 2 Kgs sugar and 2 kgs lentils from March 20 to 31. Also read:TCB to start selling for 10 million families from Mar 20: Minister There are a lot of floating people in Dhaka city areas and special marking method will be applied to avoid duplication in providing the TCB products, he said.

Braving the scorching heat, Lucky Akther, wife of a rickshaw-puller, waited in a long queue for several hours to buy oil, onion and lentil at subsidised prices from a truck selling the goods of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) at Boubazar of Hajipara in the capital. But she was not lucky enough to buy essentials on Wednesday as all stock of goods in the truck ran out fast because of the huge crowd of buyers. “The prices of oil, onion and pulse have gone up so high in the market that it has become difficult for the poor like me to buy. So, I came here with the hope to purchase these items at relatively cheaper prices. But I only wasted around three hours here standing in the line as everything had run out before I reached the sellers,” an utterly frustrated Lucky told UNB. Shompa Begum, a single mother of three kids who works as domestic help, had much more bitter experiences than Lucy’s. READ: TCB to start selling for 10 million families from Mar 20: Minister “I waited for several hours yesterday (Tuesday) to buy some TCB goods, but returned home empty-handed. I also failed to buy the essential items today (Wednesday) as those had run out fast before I could reach the frontline despite two hours of wait,” she said with a deep breath in the city’s Malibagh Bazar area. Shompa said it is now difficult for her to buy these items from the market at exorbitant prices. “Believe me, I couldn’t cook any curry for the last two days for lack of oil and onion. We took rice with boiled mashed potato and green chili and dried food. How’ll we survive if the prices of essentials don’t come down?” She alleged that many men forcibly occupy the frontlines and buy items managing the sellers. Shompa said women should be allowed to stand in separate queues or a rule needs to be there that one woman can buy the goods from the truck after a man to ease the hassles of female buyers. Like Lucky and Shompa, many poor people are failing to buy essential items at the subsidised rates due to inadequate supply by TCB against the growing demand.  The skyrocketing prices of essentials such as rice, oil, lentil and onion, have dealt a double blow to the poor and the middle-income groups who have been already hit hard by the fallout of the Covid pandemic, forcing them to rush to the open market sale (OMS) run by TCB Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) truck to purchase these goods at subsidised prices. Ruhul Amin, a nightguard of Rampura area, said he could buy oil, rice, lentil, onion and sugar from a truck selling the TCB goods after waiting for several hours near Rampura Bridge. “TCB’s goods have now become a golden deer due to the soaring prices of the essential items in the regular market.” He alleged that half of the amount of onion he bought from a TCB’s truck was rotten. “This  an unfair treatment to us. Rotten goods can’t be sold by the government.” Private service-holder Delwar Hossain said he is in a fix to run his five-member family with his limited income as the prices of all the necessary items have increased alarmingly. “No one can understand the suffering we’re going through now. It’s difficult for us to cope with the overheated market of commodities. We’re now being forced to stand in lines to buy goods from the TCB trucks.” Delwar is not alone as many low and middle-income people are feeling the pinch of unusual price hikes of essentials across the country. The retailers are raising the prices of daily essential commodities, including rice, pulses, oil and sugar regularly showing an excuse of short supply. In such a situation, the demand for commodities supplied by TCB has increased sharply. As the goods are less than the demand, the sale ends by noon.  TCB dealers said they are being supplied with very inadequate goods to meet the demands of huge buyers. Visiting different spots in the city, it was seen that thousands of people were waiting for hours to purchase the goods from TCB dealers to ease the shock of ongoing price hikes. The queues get bigger within minutes after the arrival of trucks. Talking to UNB, TCB dealer Jahangir said usually low-income people, including day-labourers, rickshaw-pullers, drivers or housemaids came to buy goods from them earlier.  “But now the middle-class people are also gathering to buy goods from us. It’s difficult for us to handle such pressure from such a huge number of buyers. Some people become violent when our stocks run out.” Akkas Uddin, a TCB goods seller in Tejgaon area, said they get 1580 kg of different types of goods every day that are sold out within two hours. “The supply of goods needs to be increased to meet the huge demand.” READ: Now restaurants may have to run after TCB trucks! Contacted, TCB Chairman Md Ariful Hassan said they are selling goods at lower prices in different points in Dhaka city in 150 trucks, which is only enough for 40,000 families. “Each truck gets TCB goods like sugar, pulse, and onion and soybean oil for 250 to 300 families. We’ll try to cover all the needy people. We need cooperation from the city corporation councilors’ so that our goods reach the real poor and needy people,” Ariful said. He said police stations have been asked to ensure discipline at the TCB’s selling points in their respective areas.

Amid the ongoing strict lockdown the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will continue selling daily essentials at subsidised price. The daily essentials would be available on dealer trucks from July 26 to Aug. 26 across the country, said a TCB press release Sunday. READ: Consumers showing little interest in Tk15 kg Turkish onion of TCB However, the trucks won't be available on public holidays. People could purchase edible soybean oil at Tk 100 per liter, lentils Tk 55 per kg and sugar Tk 55 per kg, the release also said. READ: Onion supply glut in Khulna puts TCB in dilemma

Voicing deep concerns over the growing price hike of daily essentials, BNP on Tuesday alleged that corrupt “government-backed” syndicates are controlling the kitchen markets to make quick buck through tricks.  “The prices of essentials are reduced during Ramadan in other Muslim countries. But in our country, the prices of goods go up during this time. Awami League-backed syndicates are controlling the market and raising the prices of goods through tricks,” said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Speaking at a press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, he also bemoaned that the state-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), has also increased the prices of commodities ahead of Ramadan. “It’s regrettable as people usually depend on TCB to buy goods at fair prices. A syndicate is also there.” Also read: Soaring veggie prices sour festive spirit for city residents Fakhrul said the prices of essential commodities, including rice, soybean oil, sugar, and flour, have marked a sharp rise due to the government’s failure to monitor the market. As a sequel to widespread corruption during this government, he said the managements of kitchen markets have been held hostage to the corrupt business syndicates who are the “beneficiaries of the government”. He said it is the responsibility of the government to control the corrupt syndicates and keep the market stable. Also read: Govt has no roadmap to enforce full lockdown: BNP The BNP leader said there is no alternative to installing a pro-people government in the country removing the political stalemate to protect the human rights and interests of people. “This government is least bothered about people’s welfare since they’ve no accountability. Under the circumstances, everyone must take part in the movement to establish a democratic and pro-people government under the leadership of the BNP,” he observed. Fakhrul said the government provoked the Hefazat to engage in violence on the occasion of Independence Day as part of its move to climate the opposition.  Also read: Prices in kitchen markets on the up ahead of Ramadan The BNP alleged that police have long been arresting their party’s leaders and activists at different parts of the country in different cases. About the condition of their party chairperson Khaleda, Zia who tested positive for coronavirus, Fakhrul said she is doing well and receiving treatment from her personal physicians. He urged people to pray for the speedy recovery of their party chief.

The National Price Monitoring and Fixing Committee of the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission on Monday increased the prices of edible oil for a second time in a month following instability in the international market.