Some traders eye windfall profits out of speculations

IMPORTED milk powder, candies & biscuits became costlier on the back
of increased duties proposed in the traders eyed windfall profits out
of speculation.
Price of spice, potato & different varieties of fish also rose further
in city markets in the past week on the plea shortage of supply,
according to the traders.
A number of customers at Karwan Bazar, New Markets & Shantinagar
markets alleged that many retailers demanded TK 5 to TK 10 more on an
average for each packet of a kilogram powder milk of different brands
compared to the price a week ago.
'I bought a 400-gram pack of Nido brand milk for tk 200 only a week
back but the retailer today charged tk 210 for the same item', Aslam
Sorder, a mid-level garment factory manger, said.
When asked about this, a retailer at Shantinagar argued that they
raised prices to make up for the higer procurement price at the
wholesalers' end in the past week.
In the 2009-2010 budget placed to the parliament on thursday the
finance minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhit, proposed 5% additional
regulatory duties on imported bulk milk powder & 20% supplementary
duty on milk-based products.
Garlic, which was selling at varying rates between tk 40 & tk 70 per
kg, became costlier for which the traders blamed supply shortage. The
price of ginger also rose to tk 60 & tk 95 % at the retailers' level,
due to its poor local harvesting & enhanced price at import sources.
The price rise of ginger in the past couple of months is at least 30
percent, said market sources.
Up by tk 2 over the week, each kg potato was selling between tk 24 &
tk 26 on friday, said the traders attributing the price hike to bad
harvest this year & poor stocks.
Fish prices over the week were exorbitantly high as traders said
catching of fishes in rivers & water bodies declined significantly
during this mid-summer.
On friday, medium sized katol & ruhi was selling between tk 180 & tk
230 per kg, pungus between tk 100 & tk 120 per kg aj Nakhal Para
Bazar. Small fish mola was found selling at tk 300, up by tk 100 a kg
over the month.
Beef was selling between tk 120 & tk 125 a kg. The price of per hali
egg was between tk 28 & tk 30.
Retail prices of coarse rice remained unchanged between tk 22 & tk 25
a kg & fine rice between tk 28 & tk 36. Packed coarse flour was
selling between tk 19 & tk 21.
Suger price per kg was between tk 38 & tk 40. Non-packed soyabean oil
was selling between. tk 80 & tk 82 per kg while packed or bottled
soyabean.