C T Online Desk: Prices of onions, fish and a number of vegetables witnessed a rise in Dhaka’s Mirpur kitchen market on Friday, with almost all vegetables becoming Tk10-30 costlier per kg compared to last week.
Buyers said prices of all items are increasing due to a lack of government monitoring.
Eggplants were being sold at Tk70, round eggplants at Tk80, cucumber at Tk120, bitter melon at Tk100, papaya at Tk40, pointed gourd at Tk80, spiny gourd Tk60, carrots at Tk120, tomatoes at Tk240, pumpkin at Tk30-40, okra at Tk60, snake gourd at Tk80, sponge gourd at Tk 80, yardlong bean at Tk100, green chilli at Tk240, coriander leaves at Tk300, gourd at Tk80, wax gourds are Tk70-80 per piece and bananas Tk35-40.
Compared to last week, the prices of all vegetables increased by Tk10-30. However, the price of cucumber has doubled. Last week, it was sold at Tk 40-60 per kg, but this week it is being sold at Tk120 per kg.
Local onions were being sold at Tk90, cross variety onions at Tk80-90, Indian onions at Tk60, ginger at Tk200-220, Chinese garlic at Tk220, local garlic at Tk220 and potatoes at Tk40.
Local onions saw a Tk15 increase, Indian onions Tk 10 and cross-varieties Tk 15-20 compared to last week.
Mehedi Hasan, a buyer, said: “The price of everything is high in the market. Last week, I bought local onions at Tk75, today (Friday) I had to buy them at Tk90.”
Maruf, another buyer, said: “This is due to a lack of government monitoring. If the government had monitored properly, vendors would not have been able to raise prices so hastily.”
Halim, a tea seller, said: “Since the prices of everything are high, I have to eat less.”
When vegetable vendors were asked about the reason for the price hike, they said that the prices increased due to flooding in different areas.
Rajib, a vegetable vendor, was forced to discontinue his sales due to the exorbitant prices. He said: “Vegetable prices are so high that I could not buy them today. Despite usually having a variety of vegetables in my shop, I am unable to make any sales today. I only brought 15kg of chillies to sell; I can not stay in business any longer.”
Besides, ilish was being sold at Tk1,300-2,000, rui at Tk400-450, catla at Tk450, shrimp at Tk1,000-1,400, corica at Tk500, batasio at Tk850, Gangetic koi at Tk280 and helicopter catfish at Tk650-750.
In the market, broilers are priced at Tk178-182 per kg, “cock chicken” at Tk290-298, local chicken at Tk550 and beef at Tk750-780 per kg.
The price of beef was set at Tk750 by Bangladesh Dairy Farmers Association. Vendors are charging Tk780 not adhering to the fixed price.
A customer who came to purchase fish remarked that not only vegetable prices are high, but fish prices are also soaring. He added: “I used to buy small shrimp at Tk700; today it is Tk1,000. And ilish is out of reach altogether.”
However, another buyer said he found fish prices to be manageable. “Just a few days ago, I used to buy ilish at Tk2,000 or Tk2,100 per kg. Today (Friday), I got it for Tk1,700 per kg,” he added.
