Ctg commodity market looks vibrant with Ramadan goods, sees price fall 

Essential commodities mostly in demand in Ramadan have started pouring in major commodity markets in the port city resulting in significant price fall of most of the items. 

Aiming at keeping the prices of essentials stable particularly during the month of Ramadan, the interim government's pragmatic policy, including significant tax withdrawal and other policy supports have encouraged the businessmen and importers to import in a bigger volume, which outplayed the members of unscrupulous trade racket, said traders and importers.  

Country's biggest commodity hub Khatunganj-Chaktai, wholesale fruits selling points – Reazuddin Bazar and 'Falmondi' at Station Road – have seen bustling with essential Ramadan goods like edible oil, chickpeas, sugar, onions, potatoes, and dates.

 The major commodity market has started experiencing an overall positive and visible impact that resulted in a downtrend in prices and indicates price stability when some specific commodity demand will escalate gradually on the eve and during the month of Ramadan. 

Wholesale and retailers as well as trade body leaders in Khatunganj and Chaktai said that current market trend has already brought some sorts of relief among the consumers as well as genuine businessmen as it narrowed down reckless playing by unethical trade syndicates. 

 Sources said usually such market pictures have not been seen in the last few years. In previous years, it was seen that the prices of consumer goods started increasing a few days before Shab-e-Barat and later the market was booming as Ramadan approaches. 

This time, there is an exception. Traders in Khatunganj are struggling to store huge goods in their warehouses and sell them in retail markets as quickly as possible. As a result, the market prices are lower than last year.

 Besides, the interim government had relaxed the LC opening margin on the import of 11 types of daily essential items to ensure smooth supply of consumer goods ahead of the holy month of Ramadan. 

The items are- rice, wheat, onion, pulses, edible oil, sugar, eggs, chickpeas, peas, spices and dates. However, importers who have a good track record are getting more benefits from the banks in opening LCs following a Bangladesh Bank Circular issued on November 17 last year.  Since then, the import of these products has been increasing. 

Dr. Md. Shah Alam, Deputy Director of the Plant Quarantine Center (Sanga Nirod Kendra) of Chattogram Port said the maximum numbers of consumer goods were imported in January, centering the vibrant market of Ramadan.

More products will be imported by the end of February. In the last four and a half months, 1.95 million tonnes of consumer goods of 17 categories have arrived at Ctg port. 

In the last four and half months about two million tonnes of onions, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, cumin, nutmeg, pepper, ginger, turmeric, mustard, kichmich (Raisin), chickpeas, peas and lentils, and edible oil have been imported through Chattogram Port.  

But, in the corresponding period in 2024, a total of 1.73 million tonnes were imported, which indicated that 12 percent more goods were imported this year compared to the same period of last year. In January 2025 alone, 97,181 tonnes of chickpeas were unloaded through Chattogram Port. 

 However, there is a demand for chickpeas in the country during Ramadan. Some more chickpeas are waiting to be off-loaded. A total of 66,040 tonnes of chickpeas were unloaded in January 2024. Good quality chickpeas are being sold at Tk92.5 per kg in the wholesale market of Khatunganj. 

Medium quality chickpeas are being sold at Tk90 per kg. Last year, the same chickpeas were sold at Tk95 to Tk100 per kg before Ramadan. 

Mohammad Idris, general secretary of Khatunganj's Hamidullah Miah Market Welfare Association, said the prices of onions, ginger and garlic have been decreasing for the past 15 days. 

The market now has the highest supply of local and Indian onions. The stock of ginger and garlic from China is also adequate. Locally produced onions are being sold at Tk32-38 per kg, and Indian onions are at Tk50-55.

 Ginger is being sold at Tk65-70. Fifteen days ago, ginger was selling at Tk75-80 per kg. Now it has decreased by Tk10 per kg. Garlic is being sold at Tk195-200 per kg. Its price has also decreased by Tk15. 

Idris said that onion prices also started falling as supply flow of locally produced onions increased. Along with onions, the prices of spices like ginger and garlic are also decreasing. However, in other years, consumers, particularly lower and lower middle income groups, were struggling with soaring prices of Ramadan goods.  The administration also had to conduct drives against market manipulation and keep the price stable and within the reach of the commoners. 

This time, the picture is reversed. Most wholesale traders in Khatunganj are anxious due to poor flow of retailers pushing them to apprehend incurring losses instead of profit during Ramadan.  

Stating that the price of dates is decreasing due to increased imports, Abul Hasem, owner of Bismillah Store in Falmondi, Chattogram, said that currently a five-kg packet of Medjool is at Tk4,100, Ajoa at Tk4,500, Safabiat Tk3,200 and Maryam at Tk7,700. 

Last year, 5 kg cartons of dates were sold at Tk4,000 whereas same quantity dates are being sold for Tk3,300 to Tk3,400 this time, Idris said.

After reducing the duty on dates, prices have also decreased. As Ramadan approaches, sales are also increasing. He said that the demand for dates in Bangladesh is about 90,000 tonnes per year. Of this, the demand during Ramadan is around 50,000 tonnes. In January this year alone, 21,261 tonnes were imported. The government reduced the customs duty to control the price of dates, resulting in a record amount of imports. 

 This time, traders have imported much more consumer goods against the demand, said Chaktai Khatunganj Aratdar General Traders Welfare Association General Secretary Md. Mohiuddin, saying that its impact has started to be visible in the market. 

The demand for sugar during Ramadan is about three lakh tonnes. Of this, 2.53 lakhs tonnes of sugar were imported through Chattogram port in December and January, which is 85 percent of the demand.  

In the first phase, on 17 October last year and in the second phase on 19 November, the customs duty on edible oil imports was reduced to only 5 percent. 

According to Chattogram Customs, the demand for edible oil during Ramadan is about three lakh tonnes. In contrast, three lakh 89,000 tonnes of soybean and palm oil were imported in January alone. Some more edible oil is waiting to be released. Accordingly, there should be no shortage of edible oil in the country. 

Talking to businessmen in Khatunganj, it was said that the prices of all types of consumer goods, except edible oil, are lower this year compared to last year.

Some traders in Khatunganj said that although there is no reason for an edible oil crisis in the market due to sufficient imports against demand, an unscrupulous group is still trying to destabilize and volatile the edible oil market by creating an artificial crisis. 

These traders were of the opinion that this ill-attempt can be prevented in advance if there is close supervision of the stock and supply level of imported oil and immediate legal action is taken against unscrupulous importers and hoarders. 

Muhammad Rafiqul Alam, owner of M/s MK Trading in Khatunganj, said, 'S Alam's brand ready sugar was sold at Tk4,230 per maund in the Khatunganj market on Tuesday while City and Meghna Group's sugar was sold at Tk4,175 per mound. Last year, the price of sugar per maund at the same time was around Tk5,000.