Eggs, vegetables rise as sugar, oil supplies tighten

Consumers in Dhaka are facing fresh pressure on household budgets as shortages of packaged sugar and bottled soybean oil push their prices above government-fixed rates, while eggs, chicken, vegetables and fish also remain expensive in retail markets.

Although the maximum retail price (MRP) of a kilogramme of packaged sugar was Tk110, it was selling for Tk120 at several markets in the capital. A one-litre bottle of soybean oil was selling for Tk210, Tk6 above the fixed price of Tk204. In some markets, both packaged sugar and bottled soybean oil were unavailable.

The situation was observed during visits to New Market, Karwan Bazar and Hatirpool kitchen market torday (2 October).

Sohag Mia, a grocery shopkeeper at New Market, said he had to buy packaged sugar for Tk113 a kg despite the Tk110 MRP printed on the packet. He was therefore selling it for Tk115-120.

Many shopkeepers were opening sugar packets and selling the product loose to avoid disputes with customers over the printed price.

"Tk110 is printed on the packet. If I charge Tk120, I have to explain it to customers. So I cut open the packets and sell the sugar loose to avoid the hassle," said seller Khalilur Rahman.

Egg and chicken prices rise

Farm eggs were selling for Tk155-160 a dozen, up Tk10-15 from a week earlier. Some shops were selling four eggs for Tk60.

Broiler chicken was selling for Tk180-190 a kg and up to Tk200 in some markets, while Sonali chicken cost Tk300-340, depending on variety.

Retailers attributed the higher chicken prices to increased costs of feed, medicine and transportation, as well as expenses for running diesel generators during load-shedding.

Some traders said higher transportation costs were also pushing up egg and other essential commodity prices.

Most vegetables cost Tk70-120 a kg

Prices of most common vegetables had also risen. Eggplant, bitter gourd, yardlong beans, okra, pointed gourd and teasel gourd were selling for Tk70-120 a kg.

Cucumbers cost Tk50-60 a kg, while local varieties were priced at Tk80-100. Early-season beans were selling for Tk200 a kg, while papaya was available for Tk30.

Long eggplant cost Tk100 a kg, round eggplant Tk120 and tomatoes Tk120-140. Yardlong beans, ridge gourd and bitter gourd were Tk80 a kg. Bottle gourds sold for Tk50-70 each, depending on size, while taro was Tk80 a kg.

Green chilli prices, however, had eased. After rising to Tk200 a kg several weeks earlier, increased supply had brought prices down to Tk120-140.

Suman Mia, a shopper, said he had bought eggplant for Tk100, bitter gourd for Tk80, a small bottle gourd for Tk50 and a quarter-kg of chillies for Tk40.

"Everything is expensive," he said.

Fish prices remain high

Fish prices also remained elevated. Two-kg rui was selling for Tk380-400 a kg, large rui Tk450, medium katla Tk400 and large katla Tk450.

Large tilapia cost Tk280 a kg, small tilapia Tk240 and pangas Tk200-220. Farmed shrimp was selling for Tk700-1,100 a kg, depending on size.

Sellers said higher transportation costs had raised prices at wholesale markets, forcing retailers to charge more.

"Transportation costs have increased, pushing up prices at the wholesale market. We also have to sell fish at higher prices," said Halim, a fish seller at New Market.