Salt price shoots up as unseasonal rain hits supply

Traders have sharply increased the price of salt citing lack of supply due to unseasonal rain.

Both the wholesalers and retailers apprehend that supply crisis may deepen.

The retail price of salt was Tk 32 a kilogram in Dhaka on Friday, up by Tk 6 from last week.

The sale and price of Hilsa fish have skyrocketed ahead of Pahela Baishakh.

Prices of essentials like rice, lentil, vegetable, oil and spice were, however, more or less stable.

A wholesaler of ACI Salt at Karwan Bazar, who identified himself as ‘Rakib’, told bdnews24.com the price of a sack of 25kg salt rose to Tk 800 from last week’s Tk 500-620.

Bangladesh Salt Mill Owners Association President Paritosh Kanti Saha said salt production season is from December to mid-May.

“But the supply of raw salt has dropped sharply due to untimely rain. The price has shot up from Tk 2-3 to Tk 13 a kg due to rain,” he said.

He also said there was no alternative other than to import salt from India, Australia, Pakistan or any other country in order to overcome the crisis.

Hilsa price soars

Traders at Karwan Bazar were charging Tk 1,800 to Tk 2,000 for a pair of 600-700-gram Hilsa ahead of Pahela Baishakh, the Bengali New Year. The price was Tk 1,000 to Tk 1,200 a week ago.

A trader demanded Tk 3,500 for a 1.5 kg Hilsa. No-one, however, bought it until the reporter was there.

Customer ‘Saikat’ said he was planning to buy Hilsa for Pahela Baishakh.

“But I’ve heard arguments in favour of as well as against the tradition of devouring Hilsa delicacies on Pahela Baishakh. What to do!” he said.