Even when the prices of all vegetables remain high in the market, papaya is usually the cheapest. However, now papaya is being sold at Tk 80 to Tk 90 per kilogram. The prices of eggplant, bitter gourd, yardlong beans, and taro root are all significantly high. At the same time, there is no relief in the prices of eggs and onions either. Moreover, consumers continue to suffer as edible oil is not available in the market at the government-fixed price.
This picture of the market was found on Friday (May 15) after visiting Kawran Bazar, Shantinagar, and the New Market area of Turag in the capital. Traders said that vegetable supply has decreased due to rainfall. Since it is now the season for summer vegetables, production is also limited, resulting in higher prices.
A market visit showed that among various vegetables, eggplant is being sold at Tk 70 to Tk 120 per kilogram, taro root at Tk 80 to Tk 90, bitter gourd at Tk 70 to Tk 80, yardlong beans at Tk 80 to Tk 100, and snake gourd, sponge gourd, and ridge gourd at Tk 70 to Tk 90. Pointed gourd and okra are selling at Tk 50 to Tk 70 per kilogram. Besides, tomatoes are being sold at Tk 80 to Tk 100 per kilogram, while cucumbers are priced at Tk 80 to Tk 120 per kilogram. The price of green chili has also increased. It has risen by Tk 20 per kilogram and is now selling at Tk 100 to Tk 120.
Belayet Hossain, a vegetable trader at Turag’s New Market, said that continuous rainfall in different parts of the country has reduced the supply of vegetables in the capital’s markets. In addition, as it is currently the summer vegetable season, production is comparatively low. Altogether, this has led to high vegetable prices.
At present, good-quality local onions are being sold in the capital for Tk 45 to Tk 50 per kilogram, compared to Tk 40 to Tk 45 at the beginning of the week. In neighborhood grocery shops, onions were even seen selling at Tk 55 per kilogram. However, hybrid onions are selling at Tk 40 per kilogram.
Md. Saddam Hossain, owner of a departmental store in New Market, said that onion prices have increased in the wholesale market, and the impact has also reached the retail market.
Meanwhile, due to the high prices of vegetables, the demand for eggs has increased in the market. As a result, egg prices have risen by Tk 15 to Tk 20 per dozen within a week. Currently, brown farm eggs are being sold at Tk 145 to Tk 150 per dozen, whereas they were Tk 130 to Tk 135 a week ago. White eggs are being sold at Tk 140 to Tk 145 per dozen. Eggs were found selling at even higher prices in neighborhood shops across the capital. However, chicken prices have remained unchanged. Broiler chicken is selling at Tk 185 to Tk 190 per kilogram, while Sonali chicken is selling at Tk 340 to Tk 350.
Rice prices have also increased slightly in the market. Medium-quality rice is selling at Tk 60 to Tk 68 per kilogram, and coarse rice at Tk 55 to Tk 60. According to data from the government’s Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), within one month, the price of medium-quality rice has increased by nearly 4 percent, while coarse rice prices have risen by as much as 9.52 percent.
There is also no relief in the edible oil market. Consumers complained that although the government has fixed prices, oil is not available in the market at those rates. Currently, loose soybean oil is being sold at Tk 192 to Tk 195 per liter, and palm oil at Tk 178 to Tk 180 per liter. However, the Ministry of Commerce recently fixed the prices of loose soybean oil at Tk 180 per liter and loose palm oil at Tk 166 per liter.
