Supply chain disruption going to Ramadan market
Collected
Maintaining the supply chain in the united states amid the overall holiday for the coronavirus outbreak has a significant challenge to keep carefully the market stable through the upcoming month of Ramadan.
Businesspeople fear if the ongoing crises over the goods-laden vehicles and labourers continue, prices of essential commodities will mark a sharp rise in Ramadan.
Importers said imports of essential commodities, including gram and pulse, needed for Ramadan is sufficient to meet up the demand.
The federal government has kept the departments associated with import activities of food grains open to increase the transportation.
Abul Bashar Chowdhury, chairman of BSM Group - among the leading importers of gram and pulse in the united states, told the daily sun that the demand for gram in Bangladesh is some 2 to 2.2 lakh tonnes each year.
The demand stands at 70,000 to 75,000 tonnes only in Ramadan while it will increase further this season as persons will distribute that as relief because of the situation over the coronavirus pandemic, he said.
“We can not take delivery of the goods and send them to other destinations smoothly because of lack of transports and labourers now,” the importer said.
The transport owners are also charging additional fare cashing in the problem, he alleged.
Besides, the activities also have to be ended within a restricted time due to the prohibition on movement of folks and general transport, he said.
“We've some sales stations and warehouses in Narayanganj. But, many areas of Narayanganj have already been locked down following the spread of the disease there,” Bashar said.
“Nothing could be predicted now because of the unprecedented situation,” said the businessman. Import of the commodities is adequate now to keep the market stable in Ramadan. But, the items which require processing before selling will need more time to be available in the market, he said.
“Although our expenditure is increasing now, we hope the purchase price will remain under control at the wholesale market. But, the costs in retail market cannot be predicted,” the importer said.
The federal government has taken all necessary measures to facilitate transportation of the meals items along with others and if the activities can be speeded up further the feared situation could be averted, he observed.
Mahbubul Alam, an importer and president of Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), said supply chain of goods needed for Ramadan is being hampered for different reasons in this current situation.
Although the import is enough, the disruption in the supply chain for having less transport and workers could make the Ramadan market volatile, Mahbub feared.
He in addition has urged the government to handle strict vigilance in order that none can create an artificial crisis at the marketplace now for brisk business.
Mentionable, goods-laden containers started piling up at the country’s premier seaport consuming the ‘lockdown’.
The sources in the CPA held keeping the industries closed, insufficient number of goods-laden vehicles and reluctance of plying vehicles by the transport workers responsible for the situation.
Contacted, CPA Secretary Md Omar Faruk said the port is working relentlessly to deliver the imported goods.
Importers should take delivery of the imported goods for Ramadan as early as possible, he said.
The delivery of goods from the port has increased and desire to obtain it accelerated further in the coming days, the secretary said.
When asked, Anto-Jila Malamal Paribahan Sangstha Truck O Covered Van Malik Samity Organising Secretary Md Shafiur Rahman Tipu said the transport sector may be the worst victim of this current situation.
Apart from the concern with being infected by the virus, closure of all eateries and places for rest made the transport personnel reluctant to perform the vehicles, he observed.
Besides, due to insufficient round-trip the owners are also charging high discouraging the businesspeople to employ the vehicles, said the transport leader.
All the matters are linked to one another and the crisis will be addressed after improvement of the complete situation, Tipu added.
Source: https://www.daily-sun.com
Tags :
Previous Story
- Coronavirus: Google pays tribute to doctors, nurses, medical...
- Coronavirus: Bankers to get Tk 5-10 lakh as...
- From financial losses to social costs
- British good trade group boils down heavily in...
- Coronavirus Putting the Brakes on Economic Growth in...
- Navigating the socioeconomic perils of Covid-19 in Bangladesh
- Bangladesh faces challenge in maintaining domestic demand
- Tourism industry scrambles for government loans