An artificial shortage of soybean oil is being created in the market every week. As a result, consumers in the capital are expressing frustration on Fridays, especially in retail markets and local grocery stores, when they cannot find oil. Many have returned home with mustard oil instead of soybean oil. Furthermore, vendors are also expressing anger as they cannot find oil for sale. For the past two months, even though there has been less supply than demand, companies have been forcing retailers to buy 8-10 other products in order to receive oil. If not, no oil is given. This has led to a shortage of soybean oil in retail markets, causing inconvenience for consumers.
Meanwhile, while soybean oil can be found in one or two retail stores in the capital, it is not being sold at the government-fixed price. The price labels on bottled oil have even been removed before selling. The situation has reached a point where the price of soybean oil per liter has risen to a maximum of 200 Taka. However, buyers are satisfied with the prices of winter vegetables in the retail markets. On the other hand, fish and meat are being sold at high prices. This information was gathered by visiting several retail markets and local grocery stores in the capital on Friday and talking to both buyers and sellers.
At 10:30 AM, Hasan, an official from an organization, went to the Naya Bazar in the capital to buy essential goods. When he first asked for a liter of soybean oil at a shop, the shopkeeper said that there was no one-liter bottle available and that he would have to buy a five-liter bottle. He then went to another shop, where the shopkeeper said that the oil had just run out. At another grocery store in the market, the same response was given. At one more shop, when he found a one-liter bottled oil, the shopkeeper quoted a price of 190 Taka. Later, Hasan Tariq noticed that the price label on the bottle had been removed. When he asked the seller about the government-fixed price of 175 Taka, the seller replied that the oil would not be available at that price and that it had to be bought for 190 Taka.
At 11:23 AM, a visit to Rai Saheb Bazar revealed that no grocery store had one or two-liter bottled soybean oil. Only loose soybean oil was being sold, and it was priced at 200 Taka per liter. Shoppers, unable to find bottled oil, were seen buying the loose soybean oil at 200 Taka per liter, even though the government-fixed price for this oil is 157 Taka.
Around 1 PM, Kabir Mia, a resident of Bhuiyapara Road in Block 4, Banshree, first went to the Aishi Grocery Agency in his neighborhood to buy oil. When he asked for a one-liter bottle of oil, the shopkeeper informed him that there was no soybean oil available. He then went to Sikandar General Store, but again found no oil. After trying at Jisan Enterprise and failing to get oil, he had to go to another shop, where he still couldn’t find soybean oil, so he reluctantly returned home with mustard oil.
The situation is similar at the Jinjira wholesale market in the capital. After visiting six retail shops, soybean oil was found in only two shops. However, the price labels on the bottles were erased, and they were selling at 180 to 190 Taka per liter. In addition, open soybean oil was being sold at 195 to 200 Taka per liter.
Grocer Rajjak of the wholesale market says that the companies have formed a cartel to increase prices ahead of Ramadan. The companies are pressuring the retailers in various ways to sell the oil. To get the oil, the companies are forcing retailers to buy 8-10 other products. For example, to get Rupchanda oil, retailers are forced to buy mustard oil in all sizes of the brand. To get Teer soybean oil, they must purchase salt and all kinds of powdered spices. To buy Nutrition brand oil, they have to buy flour and semolina of that brand. To obtain Sun brand soybean oil from dealers, they must also buy salt of that brand. In addition, tea leaves and other products are required. As a result, many shopkeepers have stopped buying oil, further exacerbating the crisis.
Meanwhile, customers are satisfied with the prices of winter vegetables in the retail market, but fish and meat are being sold at high prices. In the retail market, radish is being sold at 30 taka per kg, beans with seeds at 40 taka per kg, and without seeds at 30 taka per kg. Sweet pumpkin is being sold at 40 taka per kg, long brinjal at 40 taka per kg, round brinjal at 50 taka per kg, and turnip at 30 taka per kg. In addition, cauliflower and cabbage are being sold for 20-30 taka per piece, cucumber at 40 taka per kg, carrots at 50 taka per kg, potatoes at 30 taka per kg, green chili at 80 taka per kg, ridge gourd at 50-60 taka, papaya at 50 taka, bitter gourd at 50-60 taka, lemon at 30 taka per piece, and bottle gourd at 50-70 taka per piece. Local onions are being sold at 50-60 taka per kg.
In the retail market, broiler chicken is being sold for 200-220 taka per kg, while the price of sonali breed chicken is 330-350 taka per kg. Beef is being sold at 750-800 taka per kg, and farm eggs are priced at 130-135 taka per dozen. Additionally, pangas fish is selling for 200-220 taka per kg, cultured koi at 300 taka per kg, large puti at 250 taka per kg, taki at 350 taka per kg, and tilapia is being sold at 220-250 taka per kg. Shrimp is priced at 800 taka per kg, shoal fish at 650 taka, rohu fish at 350 taka per kg, katla at 320-350 taka per kg, pabda at 400 taka per kg, shing fish at 500 taka, tengra at 400-500 taka per kg, and boal at 500-600 taka per kg.
LND/SAKIB
