The demand for unrefined (iodine-free) salt has increased in the preservation of sacrificial animal skins. Due to the increase in demand, the salt market in Nitaiganj, the wholesale trading center of Changa Narayanganj. There, the price of unrefined (64 kg) salt used for leather preservation has gone up by Rs 50 to Rs 100 per bag. Along with unrefined salt, the price of edible salt (iodized) has also gone up. The price of table salt has gone up by Rs 30 to Rs 50 per bag (25 kg).
A thick bag of high-quality unrefined iodine-free white salt used to preserve the skin of sacrificial animals is being sold at Rs 650 per sack weighing 74 kg.
Salt traders say trading is better than before. Despite the increase in demand, there is no shortage of salt in the market. However, due to the increase in transportation costs, the prices have gone up a bit. Leather traders say that traders are raising the price of salt on various pretexts. The higher the price of salt, the higher the cost of preserving the skin. The information was obtained by visiting Nitaiganj, one of the largest wholesalers of flour, meal, oil, sugar, salt, pulses and edible oil, on Monday and talking to salt traders and buyers.
Salt traders say trading is better than before. Despite the increase in demand, there is no shortage of salt in the market. However, due to the increase in transportation costs, the prices have gone up a bit.
According to the investigation, a bag of high quality unrefined iodine-free white salt used to preserve the skin of the sacrificial animal weighing 74 kg is being sold at Rs 650 per sack. And a bag of slightly dirty unrefined salt is being sold at Tk 80 and a bag of more dirty unrefined salt is being sold at Tk 750. Each bag of salt was sold last June at Rs 650, Rs 560 and Rs 555 respectively.
The price of edible salt of different brands sold in the market has increased by Rs 30 to Rs 50.
Besides, a 25 kg sack of Confidence brand of iodized salt is being sold at Tk 630 in Nitaiganj market. A month ago, the price of salt was 590 rupees. Besides, the price of 480 rupees per sack of cauliflower brand salt is now 550 rupees, while the price of salt per sack of ACI’s pure brand has been increased by 55 rupees and is being sold at 75 rupees. Besides, the price of Molla Super and Tir brand salt has been increased by Tk 50 per bag and is being sold at Tk 630 and Tk 520 respectively. The price of edible salt of different brands sold in the market has increased by Rs 30 to Rs 50.
Last year I bought a bag of salt for 550 rupees for leather preservation. This year I bought 64 kg of salt per sack at 750 rupees. This will increase the cost of skin preservation this year
Abdur Rahman, Leather Dealer, Narsinghpur
Abdur Rahman, a leather trader from Narsinghpur area, told Prothom Alo, “Every year I buy leather at the time of sacrifice and save it with salt. When prices are high, we sell leather. Every year at the time of sacrifice I buy and save up to two to five thousand pitches of leather. And last year I bought a bag of salt for 550 rupees to preserve the skin. This year I bought 64 kg of salt per sack at 750 rupees. Abdur Rahman said that the cost of leather preservation will increase this year.
Sohrab Mia, a businessman from Munshiganj’s Sepahipara area, said he bought 100 bags of salt from Nitaiganj to sell in his shop. The price of unrefined salt has dropped to Tk 640 per bag. This is accompanied by transportation costs. He will have to sell salt at Rs 50 to Rs 100 more than the purchase price per bag.
According to the salt traders of Nitaiganj, the salt produced in this area goes to different districts of the country including Old Dhaka, Uttara, Narsingdi, Gazipur, Tangail, Mymensingh, Feni, Comilla, Chandpur, Munshiganj and Bhairab.
According to the salt traders of Nitaiganj, the salt produced in this area goes to different districts of the country including Old Dhaka, Uttara, Narsingdi, Gazipur, Tangail, Mymensingh, Feni, Comilla, Chandpur, Munshiganj and Bhairab. Salt used to go to many more districts from here. But due to the establishment of new mokams and mills in different districts of the country and the improvement of communication system, traders bought salt directly from Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar.
Regarding the increase in salt prices, local traders said that the price has gone up as salt farmers in Cox’s Bazar, Teknaf, Islampur, Patia and Kutubdia areas have stockpiled salt.
There are 30 to 35 salt mills in the district. There are 10 to 12 of them. There is no shortage of salt in the market. Therefore, it can be said that the price of salt will not increase anew ahead of Eid-ul-Adha.
Paritosh Kanti Saha, President, Salt Mill Owners Association Narayanganj District
Jamal Uddin, owner of Garibe Newaz Salt Industries, told Prothom Alo that 90 bags of salt were found after crossing the mill by bringing 100 bags of crude salt from Chittagong farmers. It costs 100 rupees per bag of unrefined salt crossing including transportation cost. He said that earlier the car rent was Tk 28,000. Now that car rental has become 36 thousand rupees. Due to these reasons the price of salt is increasing.
Dilip Roy, owner of MR Bhuiyan Salt Industries, told Prothom Alo that the price of salt is a bit high due to high transport costs.