Fixed-income group, middle class homes changing habits to maintain expenses

The fixed income group, usually drawing salaries from a job, and large swathes of the middle class are facing an uncomfortable situation in the kitchen market, as minimum prices of vegetables at Tk50, and fish or chicken a minimum Tk230 per kg.

Visiting different kitchen markets and talking with the consumers, the correspondent gathered experienced that people are cutting consumption of protein to adjust with inflationary price hike.

Tabibur Rahman, a private job holder who draws a monthly salary of Tk52,000, lives with five members of his family (wife, 2 children and mother) at Tejkunipara of Tejgaon in the capital.

Talking with UNB at Karwan Bazar on Friday (24 May), he said that he has been avoiding chicken, beef and costly fish items since Eid-ul-Fitr, as the prices of these items are on a rising trend. To maintain family expenditure with the salary he has to almost completely forego animal and fish protein.

Moreover, utility bills, medicine cost for an old aged mother and education cost of his two children also shot up. So Tabibur was forced to change food consumption habit to maintain his family expenditures.

He is depending for protein on pangash, eggs and other low-cost items. Several service holders like Tabibur echo the same experience as him.

However, prices of green chilli, vegetables, eggs and chicken were up pretty steeply Friday in the kitchen market of the capital.

The price of green chilli increased by Tk100 per kg, selling at Tk200 to 220 per kg on Friday. The green chilli was sold at Tk80-100 per kg in the first week of this month.

Egg prices remained on a rising trend since the beginning of this month, selling at Tk165-170 per dozen in the capital — an increase of Tk30 per dozen this month.

Eggs from domestically-reared hens are selling at Tk85-90 per hali (4 pieces), and duck's eggs were selling at Tk75-80 per hali.

The price of broiler chicken and Pakistani origin Sonali chicken have increased by Tk10-20 per kg in the last two weeks. Broiler chicken was selling at Tk220-240 per kg based on size and quality. Apart from this, the price of Sonali chicken has also increased and is being sold at Tk360-370 per kg based on size and quality.

Similarly, cock chicken is being sold at Tk370-390 per kg, layer chicken at Tk300-350 per kg, and indigenous (desi) chicken at Tk670-765 per kg.

The traders of the concerned sectors said that prices of chicken increased due to price hikes of chicken food and chicks. Besides, the ongoing heat wave also affected chicken farms, which also impacted on price hike. 

Beef was selling between Tk750-780 per kg today based on quality, and saw a raise of price by Tk 30 per kg than other days of the week. Mutton and goat meat was selling at Tk1,000-1,180 per kg based on quality, which saw an increase of Tk50 per kg.

Hilsha weighing about 450 gram was selling at Tk650 per kg while Hilsha weighing 1kg-plus were selling at Tk1,800-2,000 per kg at Karwan Bazar fish market on Friday. Hilsha weighing 700 to 800 grams were selling at Tk900-1,000 per piece.

Fish like Ruhit and carp were selling between Tk300-450 per kg based on size and quality. Riverine small fish were selling at Tk400-700 per kg on Friday.

Meanwhile, the prices of vegetables have stabilised at a higher rate this time compared to the previous years. Traders blame overall inflation for this higher price. Vegetables including eggplant, okra, drumsticks, string beans, and bitter gourd were stable between Tk50-60 per kg on Friday. The prices of tomatoes have increased as the season is ending. Good quality tomatoes were selling between Tk60-70 per kg.

Brinjals were selling between Tk50-60 per kg, while bottle gourd, ash gourd, and cauliflower at Tk50-60 per piece.

Local variety of onion was selling between Tk70-80 per kg, garlic at Tk180-250, and ginger at Tk200-280 per kg based on quality.

The prices of some other commodities including rice including aromatic rice, wheat, flour, milk, and soybean have remained unchanged.