Maungdaw, Arakan State: Ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, the prices of essential items including--- rice, chickpea (sona), beef, onion, sugar, edible oil and fish have been increasing in kitchen markets in Maungdaw Townships, Kala Meah, a trader from Maungdaw said.
“Suddenly, the prices of essential commodities have been skyrocketing in Maungdaw at the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.”
When a local villager Abul Khair from Udaung paid a visit to the kitchen market on June 18, morning, he found - a bag of 60 kg of rice is being sold at Kyat 23,000 while it was sold Kyat 20,000 in the first week of June, but a bag of normal rice is being sold at Kyat 18,000 to 19,000 per bag.
In the holy month of Ramadan, mostly people breaks fasting (Iftar) with chickpea and a bag of chickpea is being sold at Kyat 51,000 K, but it was sold at Kyat 42,000 before. So, poor people are unable to buy it, Abul Khair more added.
Villagers believe that the prices of different essential of goods such as--- chickpea, sugar, onion, edible oil, beef, quality fish and rice, will be more increased in the month of Ramadan, a local elder said on condition of anonymity.
The local elder also said that the essential goods are not available in the kitchen markets as the goods are not being brought to northern Arakan from Akyab (Sittwe), the capital of Arakan state by Rakhine sole agents.
However, the Burmese government has not taken any step to stop the skyrocketing prices of the essentials, another trader from Maungdaw said.