Boro paddy from the current season is reaching markets across the country, and rice prices have begun to fall at the mills. But there has been no effect on retail markets in the capital.
At markets in Rampura, Badda and Khilgaon on Thursday 27 April, rice was selling at the old prices: fine rice (Najirshail) at Tk 65-75 a kg, medium rice (Paijam) at Tk 52-56 and coarse rice (Swarna) at Tk 48-50.
At Badamtoli and Babubazar, the capital's biggest wholesale rice markets, traders said new early Boro rice began arriving two or three days before Eid, and wholesale prices have been easing little by little since. Old rice is still selling at the old price.
New rice cheaper than last year
In the wholesale market, new BR-28 rice sells at Tk 48-49 a kg, against Tk 52-53 last year, while old BR-28 sells at Tk 50-51. Boro-season Miniket and other rice will start arriving within three or four days.
Harvesting has begun in various districts and some rice has reached some markets. In Naogaon, a 50 kg sack of new Miniket rice sells for Tk 2,800-2,850 and old rice for Tk 3,000-3,200. New paddy sells at Tk 1,000-1,080 a maund, against Tk 1,100-1,180 for the same paddy last year.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Boro has been grown on 50 lakh hectares this year, with a production target of 2.15 crore tonnes. In FY2021-22, Boro was grown on 48.14 lakh hectares and output was about 2.02 crore tonnes.
Abdur Rashid, owner of Messrs Rashid Rice Agency at Babubazar, said that last week 400 sacks of 50 kg "Hati" brand rice came to his shop from Gopal Babu's mill in Sherpur. It cost Tk 48 a kg, transport cost Tk 16,000, and with porters' charges it cost 80 paisa a kg to bring to Dhaka.
He said rice prices were high at the start of last season because crops were damaged in the haor areas. "This year paddy yields have been good in various districts and prices are lower than before. Rice supply will rise next week."
Nidar Baran Saha, president of the Naogaon district paddy and rice wholesalers' association, said paddy yields have been good in their area this year. Rice milling has not yet started after Eid, and supply of paddy and rice will rise next week. With a bumper Iri crop this year, rice prices could fall further, he said.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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