Jumbangla Desk: Eggs are considered as one of the main sources to meet the needs of the body. Apart from this, the people of lower-middle class families become more dependent on eggs in the rising market of commodity prices. But for quite some time there is a storm of discussion about the price of eggs in the market of the country.
Recently, the price of eggs in the market has increased up to 180 taka. In this, the daily necessity product has gone beyond the purchasing power of people with limited income. Common people say that they have never seen this price of eggs before. Bangla Tribune's on-the-spot report is highlighted below-
The Ministry of Commerce is shaking in such a situation of the egg market. They have entered the field to control this sky-high price. At the same time, the Department of Consumer Rights Protection has also started an operation to control the market.
The Ministry of Commerce took the initiative to import eggs from India to reduce the price of eggs. An order in this regard was issued by the Ministry of Commerce on October 8. But their decision could not have any impact on the market. Eggs continue to be sold at high prices on various pretexts like 'low supply', 'high price of chicken feed'. At one stage, wholesale traders and retailers complained of reducing the sale of eggs from the producers.
Last Tuesday (October 15), the director general of the National Consumer Protection Directorate, Mohammad Alim Akhtar Khan, held a press briefing on keeping the price of eggs stable and the supply normal. At that time, he said that for the next two weeks, the egg producing companies will directly go to the dealers in Tejgaon and Kaptan Bazar to pay the government fixed price (Tk 10.58 at the producer level, Tk 11.01 at the wholesale level and Tk 11.87 at the retail level) from the producer level. will supply eggs at reasonable prices at the wholesale level.'
In this case, if we calculate their fixed price, it can be seen that if each piece of egg is sold at Tk 10.58 from the producer level, the price of a dozen eggs will fall to Tk 126.96. At the wholesale level, if each piece of egg is sold at Tk 11.01, the price of a dozen eggs falls to Tk 133.2. And from the retail level, if each piece of egg is sold at Tk 11.87, the price of a dozen eggs falls to Tk 142.44.
But regardless of the price set by the National Consumer Rights Protection Department, eggs were sold at a higher price on Friday (October 18) in the raw market of Mirpur No. 1. At the same time, the chicken eggs of the farm are sold at an additional price in various grocery stores of Mirpur 2 area. The prices of the chicken eggs they sell vary. Even if one price is fixed, it is sold at different prices. This picture can be seen by visiting these areas on the ground.
More than 20 grocery stores in Mirpur 2 can be seen, they are selling red eggs from 155 to 170 taka per dozen of chicken. Among them, Zidan was selling red eggs at Tk 170 per dozen at the general store.
Talking to the seller of this shop, he said, we do not bring eggs from the market. Eggs are brought to our store. Today I bought it for 165 rupees. So I am selling for 170 rupees.
Most of the vendors in this area speak in the same tone about selling eggs at exorbitant prices. They said, we sell with some profit from the price at which we are bought. There is no way we can keep prices as high as we want.
Molla General Store was selling chicken red eggs at a lower price than other shops in this mohalla. They were selling eggs at Rs 155 per dozen. The seller of this shop. Johnny said, I can sell today for 155 rupees. I have bought 152 taka.
At that time, he complained and said, I need 600 pieces of eggs every day. But last week I did not get that amount of eggs, I got 300 pieces of eggs. I didn't get eggs yesterday. Got it ok today though.
Meanwhile, due to the increase in the price of eggs, the sales have decreased, said Milan, a seller of Noakhali General Store. He said, the increase in the price of eggs had reduced the sales. Those who used to buy two dozen eggs, now buy one dozen. And those who used to buy a dozen, they are buying 6 to 8.
Go to the raw market of Mirpur number 1 and see a different price of eggs. But most of the retailers in this market are selling close to the fixed price. Among these, some shopkeepers were selling at higher prices. Today in the retail shops of this market, they are selling red eggs at Tk 144 to Tk 155 and white eggs at Tk 130 to Tk 144 per dozen.
When asked why they are selling at a higher price than the fixed price, the sellers said, we could have sold at the fixed price but after we brought many eggs we found broken. For this reason, we sell at a slightly higher price and recover that money.
Abdul Jabbar's egg shop in this market was selling red eggs at Tk 155 per dozen. When asked why he is selling at a higher price than everyone else, he could not give a good answer.
The wholesale shop of this market is called Rajeev Pusthibitan. They are also selling eggs at higher prices than the fixed price. When asked the reason, they said that their purchase price has increased. So selling at high price. At this time they also show the purchase receipt.
On Friday, the Department of Consumer Protection visited the market. Rozina Sultana and Farhana Islam Ajanta, two assistant directors of the organization's Dhaka divisional office, conducted this campaign. At this time they observed vegetable, egg, fish, chicken markets.
They conducted a raid and fined retail egg seller Abdul Jabbar Tk 10,000. He was fined for not being able to show the purchase receipt. And the wholesaler, Rajeev Pusthibitan, was fined Tk 50,000. The company has to pay a penalty for buying eggs at the government-fixed price.
