Vegetable prices slightly volatile amid stable meat, egg markets
Market visits by TBS confirmed the volatility in vegetable prices while retailers pinned the blame on wholesalers
Consumers in the capital are witnessing a sharp fluctuation in vegetable prices, pushing many basic items well over the Tk100 per kilogramme-mark. Although the markets for meat, eggs, and rice remain relatively stable, shoppers complain of encountering new, high prices almost every day.
The frustration intensified today (10 October) across major kitchen markets, including Hatirpool, Karwan Bazar, and New Market.
"Every day I come to the market, I hear a new price," said Rozina Akhter, a housewife shopping at New Market. "The brinjal I bought for Tk80 last week is Tk 160 today! Spending Tk100 just buys one kilogramme of vegetables. Buying fruits or fish for the children is a luxury now."
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Market visits by The Business Standard confirmed the volatility in vegetable prices as long brinjal was priced at Tk100 per kg, while the round variety shot up to Tk160. Green chillies remained high at Tk120 per kg.
Other high-priced items included long beans (borboti) at Tk80–100 per kg, carrots at Tk80–120 per kg, and beans (shim) at Tk160 per kg. Okra (dherosh) and bitter gourd (korola) were priced at Tk80 and Tk100 per kg, respectively.
More common vegetables like pointed gourd (potol) and spiny gourd (kakrol) were both priced at Tk80 per kg.
Retailers pinned the blame on the wholesale market.
Hafizul Islam, a vegetable vendor at New Market, said, "We also want prices to be low so we can sell more. But everything is becoming expensive at the wholesale level. Due to the fluctuations in wholesale rates, we are forced to sell at slightly higher prices."
In contrast to the vegetable volatility, the markets for protein staples showed stability.
Beef remained steady at Tk750 per kg, and mutton at Tk1,100 per kg. Broiler chicken was sold at Tk180 per kg, while Pakistani sonali (cock) sold for Tk300–350. The Egg market was notably stable, with a dozen selling for Tk135.
Fish prices were mixed, with pangas selling between Tk180–200, Rui and Katla between Tk400–450, and Tilapia at Tk250–280 per kilo.
The rice market saw minor fluctuations but generally remained stable, with miniket rice priced at Tk78–80 per kg and pilaf rice at Tk120. Pulse prices ranged from Tk150 for local masoor dal to Tk100 for khesari.
Additionally, a mixed picture was observed in the spice market as raisins are being sold at Tk800 per kg, plums at Tk700, cardamom at Tk4,800-5,200, cloves at Tk1,700-1,800.
Cumin was priced at Tk700, black pepper at Tk1,700, local ginger at Tk130 and Chinese ginger at Tk150 — which was Tk170 earlier.
While the price of local garlic remained unchanged at Tk100 per kg, local onions are being sold at Tk80 and hybrid ones at Tk75.
