Bangladesh: Following egg example, government mulls potato imports to calm escalating prices

"We are closely monitoring the situation. If potato prices do not stabilize within the next two to three days, we will proceed with import," said AHM Safiquzzaman, additional commerce secretary and head of the consumers' right directorate. The government set the maximum retail price of potatoes at Tk36 per kg on September 14. Despite interventions, Dhaka city continues to see prices ranging from Tk 48 to Tk 55 per kg, surpassing the government rates by a large margin. In the country's key potato production hubs, prices have slightly dipped to Tk 40-45 per kg, but they still remain Tk 5-10 above the government's designated rate, according to the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM). The Directorate General of National Consumers Right Protection (DNCRP) initially took actions such as market raids to cool off the prices of potatoes, onions and eggs, and reviewing the prices of edible oil and sugar. While anti-price manipulation raids, followed by imports, successfully brought ...