Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)– The government has extended the deadline by two months to August 31 to import eggs and all kinds of salts as the essential food items saw an abnormal price hike in local market in recent times.
Under the extension, the window of opening letters of credit (L/Cs) to import eggs, chicks and salt items would remain re-opened up to August 31 this year instead of June 30.
Earlier, on June 2 this year the government offered the facilities of conditional import of eggs and salt items for 28 days to June 30, 2012 to keep the prices of such items at a tolerable level in local market.
According to the circular issued by the ministry of commencer (MoC) on Wednesday, along with the millers the traders will also be able to import eggs, hatching eggs and one-day old chicks.
They will be able to import raw and all kinds of refined salts, although earlier they imported raw salt only.
Provision for conditional import of these two items, meaning obtaining prior permission from MoC and short supply in local market are two major reasons for the unusual spiralling of their prices in the last couple of months, trade officials said.
The time extension for importing the essential items has been given by the MoC as a recent meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) asked the commerce ministry to undertake all possible measures to contain the prices of food items ahead of holy Ramadan, they added.
BBN/SSR/AD-39June12-10:34 am (BST)
