Wholesale traders have halted the sale of farm eggs in Dhaka and Chattogram, in protest against government drives to enforce the Tk11.87 per piece retail rate.
The sudden halt to trading activities at the capital’s Tejgaon wholesale hub on Sunday night sparked concerns of supply shortage of 15-20 lakh pieces, worsening the already volatile egg market.
Wholesalers claim they have to buy a piece of farm egg for Tk13-14, and thus cannot sale at the Tk11.87 rate. However, retail buyers say the wholesalers have been hoarding eggs to artificially hike prices and fatten their profits.
The price of eggs reach Tk15 per piece in residential areas, and Sunday’s halt to wholesale trade would further hike prices.
On Monday, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection conducted drives in kitchen markets and found allegations of market manipulation to be true. A number of egg sellers were fined during the drives.
Abdul Shukkur Liton, general secretary of Chattogram egg traders’ association, told reporters that the government fixed per piece egg price at Tk10.58 at the production level, but wholesalers have to pay over Tk13 per piece.
Therefore, it is impossible for them to sale the farm eggs to retailers at Tk11.87 per piece rate, he added.
bd-pratidin/GR
