Factors Affecting Price Fluctuation of Rice and Exploring the Rice Market in Barishal from the Consumer and Wholesaler Point of Views[Facteurs affectant les fluctuation de prix du riz et exploration du marché du riz à Barisal du point de vue du consommateur et du grossiste]

Rice is the staple food of Bangladesh. Although Bangladesh has achieved self-sufficiency in rice, the supply chain and logistics management of rice reveal inefficiency resulting in continuous fluctuation of price and artificial crisis. The main purpose of this paper is to explore the factors affecting the price volatility and prospects of rice market from the context of consumer and wholesaler. This study employed an in-depth interview with 50 consumers who reside in the three different villages and 30 rice wholesalers of Barishal city, Bangladesh. The findings of this study illustrated that the price fluctuation of rice is caused due to improper management and syndication among the channel members which leads a situation where a farmer sells paddy at a lower price in contrast a consumer buys rice paying a high price. Furthermore, seasonal productivity and natural calamities expand the gap between demand and supply of rice. Therefore, the paper will help the policymakers to form an overall understanding of the structure of the rice market in Bangladesh and undertake necessary strategies to meet price fluctuations. Additionally, the study will support prospective marketers to design market strategies to meet consumers' needs efficiently.