Aromatic Rice Prices Jump by Tk 60–80 per Kg in One Month

Prices of aromatic and polao rice have risen sharply in Bangladesh, with retail prices increasing by Tk 60 to Tk 80 per kilogram over the past month.

In Dhaka's retail markets, polao rice that sold for Tk 140–150 per kilogram a month ago is now priced at Tk 200–210, according to observations from several markets on Saturday.

Wholesale prices have also climbed significantly. A 50-kilogram sack of premium Chinigura rice has increased by about Tk 3,000.

Traders attribute the price increase to higher export demand, supply shortages and lower production. Consumer rights advocates, however, say weak market monitoring and profiteering by some traders are also contributing to the sharp increase.

Wholesale rice traders said demand for Chinigura rice has increased among expatriate Bangladeshis, driving up export demand. They also alleged that some traders are hoarding the rice illegally.

Sifat Sarker, an aromatic rice trader at Babubazar, said 50-kilogram sacks of premium branded aromatic rice are currently selling for Tk 10,000–10,100.

“Supplies of aromatic rice have fallen significantly,” Sarker said. He attributed the shortage partly to increased exports this year. Lower rice yields, crop damage in some areas and pressure on import supply chains have also added to the problem, he said.

Sarker said aromatic rice used to be readily available from major wholesale markets, including Naogaon. Traders now face higher prices and tighter supplies. He added that the problem is largely limited to aromatic rice, while the market for parboiled rice remains relatively stable.

Samrat Sheikh, a trader at Karwan Bazar, said there is no actual shortage of polao rice in the country. However, he said traders are increasingly favoring exports after the government allowed shipments abroad.

According to Sheikh, rice that retailed for Tk 140–150 per kilogram a month ago now costs about Tk 202 per kilogram at the wholesale level. He claimed that suspending exports could reduce retail prices by as much as Tk 50 per kilogram within a few days.

Sheikh also warned that if the current trend continues, aromatic rice could eventually reach Tk 250 per kilogram.

A.H.M. Shafiquzzaman, president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, said there is no genuine shortage of rice in the market. He suspected that some traders may be creating an artificial shortage to increase profits.

Data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) show that the government approved the export of a combined 23,959 tonnes of aromatic rice in two phases during the 2025–26 fiscal year.