Onion price soars to Tk70 per kg

The prices of onions increased by Tk30-35 in a month at various kitchen markets in the capital.

At Moghbazar and Karwan Bazar in the capital, onions were selling for Tk70-75 per kg on Friday, up from Tk35-40 a month ago.

According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), in a span of one month, the price of the local variety of onions increased to Tk60-65 per kg, with a rise of 66%, and garlic was sold at Tk140-160 per kg, with an increase of 76%.

Mohammad Badsha, a trader at Karwan Bazar, said, "I sold onions for Tk40 per kg before Eid, now I sell them for Tk70 per kg. We have to buy wholesale at Tk65 per kg."

A kg of Chinese ginger was Tk150 a month ago, which is now Tk150. Also, local ginger is selling for Tk250 which was Tk150 a month ago.

Regarding measures to control the price hike of onions in the markets, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said on Thursday that if the price of onions rises at this rate, the government will take the initiative to import the cooking essential from India.

Mohammed Badsha said, "Local garlic is selling at Tk140 per kg which was Tk100 a month ago."

Buyer Mizanur Rahman said, "I came from Hatirpool to Karwan Bazar and the price is high here too. There is no vegetable below Tk60. Onion is being sold at Tk70."

"Our income is not increasing but prices are rising. Now we have to borrow money to buy groceries."

He further said the price of vegetables is comparatively low at Karwan Bazar. In my locality, no vegetables are available below Tk80 per kg.

Vegetable prices also higher

After Eid vacation, prices of different varieties of vegetables have also remained mostly high in the kitchen markets in the capital. No vegetables except potatoes are available below Tk60.

Sanjida Khanom, a vegetable vendor at Bowbazar of Moghbazar, said the prices of all kinds of vegetables have increased by Tk-5-10 per kg in a span of one week. Pointed gourds are now sold at Tk70 per kg, eggplant at Tk70, and Bitter Gourds at Tk70.

He said the volume of sales has shrunk to half thanks to rising prices of vegetables. Buyers who used to buy two kgs now buy one kg and those who bought one kg now buy half kg. Mohammad Matin, a trader at Karwan Bazar, said that due to the drought, the supply of vegetables is low, so the prices are high.

The price of green chilli increased to Tk180 per kg with an increase of Tk40 -60 and papaya increased to Tk70 per kg with a rise of Tk10. Potatoes are being sold at Tk35-40 and tomatoes at Tk 40-50.

Mohammad Sahid, a van driver, said it is very difficult to meet the family's expenses with the current income.

"I bought bitter gourd and eggplants for Tk60 from where rotten vegetables are sold. I stopped buying chickens when the price increased. We used to have rice with vegetables and lentils. Now, the price of vegetables is also increasing," he added.

Broiler chickens were sold at Tk220-230 a kg while Beef was sold at Tk750 and mutton at Tk1,100 per kg.