After staying high for a long time, beef prices in the market have edged down slightly. A kilogram of beef now sells for Tk 720 to Tk 750 in various parts of the capital, down from Tk 800. Before last Ramadan, after several rises, the price had climbed from Tk 650 to Tk 800.
A visit to the Malibagh, Rampura and Badda markets on Saturday 18 November found traders asking Tk 750 a kg for beef, which could be bought for Tk 720 with bargaining.
Traders point to cheaper cattle
Khorshed Alam of Khorshed Gosht Bitan in Malibagh said cattle prices have fallen in rural areas, so meat is being sold for less. Even small amounts sell for Tk 750, and larger orders can be had for a little less. Each head of cattle costs Tk 5,000 to Tk 10,000 less than before. If the cattle market stays down for a while longer, prices may fall further.
It is not only markets: supershops were also seen selling meat for less than before. At the Shwapno supershop in Middle Badda a kilogram of beef sells for Tk 725, and at other supershops the price is within Tk 750.
According to market price data from the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), beef now sells for Tk 730 to Tk 750 a kg in Dhaka's markets, down from Tk 750 to Tk 780 a week ago. At this time last year a kilogram of beef cost Tk 660 to Tk 700. By TCB's reckoning, meat now costs Tk 50 to Tk 70 more than last year, about 9 per cent.
Din Mohammad, owner of Saddam Gosht Bitan on Badda main road, said meat prices had been abnormal for a long time. The fall has brought some relief, but buyers would be happier if prices fell further.
How prices climbed
Data show that in January beef in various Dhaka markets cost Tk 650 to Tk 700 a kg. Citing high cattle feed prices, farmers not breaking even and cattle selling at higher prices in the haats, traders raised prices once in February, selling at Tk 680 to Tk 720 a kg. Shortly afterwards prices rose again, reaching Tk 750 a kg in some places. Prices rose once more for Shab-e-Barat and settled at Tk 800 during Ramadan. Meat was bought and sold at that price for a long time, but prices are now edging down.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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