Photo: Collected
Although the supply in the market is good, potatoes are being sold at three and a half times the price. Potatoes are being imported from India for 21 taka paise60 paisa per kg. But buyers are buying those potatoes for 75 taka per kg in the market.
Meanwhile, along with imports, new potatoes from farmers have started coming to the market. On the other hand, the Ministry of Commerce has reduced the duty rate on potato imports from 25 percent to 15 percent. Still, the price of potatoes is increasing in the market due to the syndicate in the commission trade.
It is learned that the tree of this syndicate is the importers and the main root is the Shyambazar shopkeepers' syndicate. They have been involved in a deep conspiracy to make illegal profits from the beginning. The importers sell potatoes to shopkeepers through the commission. The importers syndicate the highest price of 21 taka to 60 paisa in two stages and have ordered the shopkeepers to sell them at 55-60 taka. The shopkeepers are selling potatoes at this price. As a result, these high-priced potatoes are being sold at a maximum of 75 taka in the retail market.
Meanwhile, another syndicate is running in the country's cold storage. Those who are storing potatoes in cold storage are now selling them at a higher price. Due to this the price of potatoes has increased. There are a few traders here who are controlling the market. Old potatoes, which cost 35 to 40 taka per kg, are being sold at a higher price of 60-65 taka from the cold storage stage. Those potatoes are being sold at the wholesale market at the retail level at 75-80 taka, which was 55-60 taka a month ago.
Md. Rabiul Islam, who came to the capital's Karwan Bazar to market, said that potatoes fall below 25 taka every year before winter comes. At this time, a kilogram of potatoes costs 75 taka, which is an anarchy. Is there no one to see this?
In this regard, Golam Rahman, former president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, said that no government has been able to break the syndicate in the market. However, people expected the interim government to break the syndicate. But that is not happening either. After the formation of the government, the prices of some products suddenly decreased due to the cessation of extortion. However, after a few days, the prices of products started increasing again due to the change of hands of extortionists. In the meantime, the old syndicate has become active. It has increased the prices of products. The consumers are suffering due to this.
He said, the government has all the information about who increases the prices of products, and who syndicates them. If measures can be taken, the prices will come down. However, all the negligence has been done in taking effective measures. How much more will the consumers bear the extortionate prices?
Source: Online/GFMM
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