This file photograph shows a worker at the Bayintnaung Wholesale Commodity Exchange Centre stacking bags of onions.

COMMODITIES prices present a mixed picture this month, report sources at Yangon’s Bayintnaung wholesale centre.

Standard-quality rice, onion and lentil prices rose during the current month, while palm oil and sugar prices have slightly decreased. At the same time, high-quality rice, peanut and sesame oil and garlic remain unchanged in price, the sources say.

Rice traders said standard-quality rice was rising in price as the stock harvested last year decreased, and customers were complaining that the rice harvested this month had a higher water content. “Although standard-quality rice prices are slightly up since the start of this month, prices of high-quality rice are stable, because demand is slower this month” said a spokesperson for OK rice warehouse at the centre.

Onion and lentil prices are up because of higher demand this week, as large numbers of Buddhists prepare to celebrate Kahtein Thingan, the full moon day of Dasaungmone on November 1, by donating food. “Demand is higher than in previous weeks because of the festival, so the supply from outside Yangon is unable to meet this higher demand,” said one onion dealer. As of October 27, high-quality onion prices reached a peak for the year of K1350 per viss (1 viss equals 1.6 kilograms or 3.6 pounds), topping the previous high for the year of K1250 reached last July.

Palm oil prices have drifted downwards, reflecting a slight drop in import prices, said a spokesperson for Taw Win Tun warehouse, which handles palm oil at Bayintnaung. U Khin Soe, the owner of Ayeyarwady peanut oil production, said peanut and sesame oil prices are stable for the moment, but prices could rise in the coming months. “Demand for peanut oil has been normal, but the price may rise during the winter because palm oil becomes less available in the cold weather,” he said.

Sugar prices in late October fell to K950 per viss from the mid-month high of K1080, said Ko Win Thi Ha of the Kathit Pann sugar warehouse in Bayintnaung.

“Although sugarcane production is not higher than last year, it is sufficient for production of sugar for domestic consumption and we expect a further decrease in the coming weeks,” he added.

The following are the prices of a basket of commodities as of October 27, compared to a week earlier:

Rice: A bag (48 kilorams or 108 pounds) of high-quality rice remained steady at K25,000. Standard-quality rice rose in price to K18,000 per bag up from K17,500, while a bag of low-quality rice rose K500 to K13,500. Newly harvested standard-quality rice was K15,500 a bag, up from K15,000.

Cooking Oil: One viss of peanut oil was K3,000, which was the same price from the previous week and also the sesame oil remained unchanged at K3000 per viss while palm oil was sold K1740 decreased from K1880.

Lentils: A bag (60 viss) of lablab bean (Pegyi) cost K100,000, up from K80,000 while a bag of gram-split (Kalape) went for K72,000, up from K70,000 per bag. A bag of Pelunphyu was up K5000 to K65,000.

Onion: A viss of high-quality onions sold for K1350, up from K1085 for high quality, standard-quality onions are K950, up from K780 per viss.

Garlic: A viss of high-quality variety was K3000, K1800 for standard-quality variety, the prices remained unchanged.

Sugar: Sugar was sold K950 per viss, down from K1080 for high-quality. Standard-quality price fell to K700 from K850 per viss.