Parents suffer for price hike of cereal

Adulterated baby foods flood market

Golam Mostafa Jibon:With the continuous price hike of essential commodities, the price of baby foods has gone up abnormally putting the parents of babies at serious misery. They are now facing immense suffering to accumulate money for baby foods due to continuous rising.
Sources said, unrest is going on in the daily essential market across the country centering the lack of proper monitoring and supremacy of unscrupulous traders’ syndicate. Poor, low- and middle-income group of people have already lost their affordability in purchasing of daily commodities. In the meantime, the price hike of different brands of baby foods or formula milks has gripped frustration among the parents over feeding milk to their children. Besides, adulterated and low-quality of baby milks are being sold in the market under the nose of authorities concerned.
Sources said, the price of powdered milk has gone up to Tk 200 per kg in less than 10 days. It is now being apprehended that the price may be increased further during the Ramadan and before the Eid. Not just milk, but almost everything used by children is now on the rise.
A casket (container) of Cerelac, one of the baby foods, is now being sold between Tk 700 and Tk 800 at different markets. But it was sold at Tk 620 a month ago. At least three to four caskets of Cerelac is needed each month for an infant aged 3-4 months.
Infant formula Prima-1 is now being sold at Tk 680
against the previous rate at Tk 600. Like those, the prices of almost all baby food items including Prima, Lactogen, Deelac, Biomil, Dano, Nan and Nido have been increased.
During a recent visit to different baby foods’ stores, this correspondent found that, many people were going back with empty hand as they can’t purchase the infant formula due to sudden price hike. Many of themwent to back home after buying less amount of milk in spite of huge need. Sumaiya Khatun, a baby milk buyer of Tejgaon area said, “I have a three-month-old baby. But, I have shocked after hearing the price of baby milk. I can’t imagine what shall I do?I have no capacity to purchase milk with so high rate for my child.”
“Now, I don’t know how I shall save my child life,” she raised question.
Nazrul Islam, a seller of Lazz Pharma Limited said,the price of everything has been increasing for a month. Prices are rising by 5 percent. The price of baby food Prima has increased by about Tk 40. The company has informed that the price will increase further before Eid. Earlier it was Tk 620, but now it has increased to Tk 660. The price of other baby foods has also increased similarly. Not only baby food, the prices of their used diapers, lotions, oils, shampoos and powders have increased. All of those are becoming more expensive.
Jarina Khatun, mother of a kid said, “Not only price hike is a problem, there are many problems over baby foods and kids’ items. Various types of adulterated baby foods have flooded the market with attractive packets or containers. Infants are falling into sick after having the low-quality or adulterated milks.”
“Such below standard formula may cause of death for infants, if necessary, steps are not taken right now,” she added.