The price of chickpeas, which are used in meals during Ramadan, has gone up by Tk 15 per kg at Khatunganj, a wholesale market in Chattogram city. The wholesale prices now range from Tk 97 to Tk 100 per kg, while retail prices are Tk 110 or higher. This increase is due to high demand during Ramadan, which is ten times more than the average monthly demand.
Despite importing more than the annual demand, the prices have not gone down due to low local storage levels and potential supply chain issues. Some vendors claim that prices have dropped, but a recent visit to the market showed little change. The import volume of chickpeas in 2023 was 2,97,000 tonnes, with 2,00,000 tonnes arriving through Chattogram port. The price increase before Ramadan was partly due to reduced imports caused by a dollar crisis. However, concerns have been raised as the imports have exceeded demand in the past two years. The market needs better monitoring and regulation to ensure that consumers benefit from lower international prices.
Source for more details:
