Although vegetable prices remained relatively low throughout the month of Ramadan, the capital鈥檚 kitchen markets have suddenly heated up in the post-Eid period.
Traders, however, said that vegetable prices remain high in April every year as this month witnesses low vegetable production between winter and summer.
In April, winter vegetables almost completely disappear from the market while some summer varieties begin to come in.
They also said that prices are expected to drop once the supply increases, which may take several weeks.
Ratan, a vendor at Karwan Bazar, was selling Tuesday summer vegetables like spiny gourd at Tk120 per kg, luffa at Tk80 per kg, and pointed gourd at Tk60 per kg.
He told 抖阴精品 that prices would automatically come down when the supply of summer vegetables will increase.
This week, the price of onions saw a sharp increase to Tk60, from Tk40 just two weeks ago.
Moreover, the potato price also rose to Tk50 per kg, from Tk20-Tk25 just a few weeks ago.
However, the price of tomato remained unchanged as in the last week, with the vegetable selling at Tk40 per kg while papaya sold at Tk 60 and cucumber at Tk 50-Tk 60 each kg.
Bitter gourds sold at Tk60 per kg, yardlong bean at Tk80, ladies finger at Tk60, and brinjal at Tk80-Tk90.
At Karwan Bazar, the price of green chilies dropped significantly to Tk60 per kg from Tk120 per kg a week ago.
The wholesale traders said that the prices may differ little at the neighbourhood markets of the capital.
According to information from different kitchen markets, the price of broiler chickens remained unchanged at Tk200-Tk210 each kg.
The prices of beef and mutton, too, stayed the same聽 around Tk聽750-Tk聽800 per kg for beef and Tk聽1,100-Tk聽1,200 for mutton.
Meanwhile, the price of eggs witnessed an increase to Tk聽130鈥擳k 135 per dozen from Tk 120鈥擳k 125 a few weeks ago.
Nazrul, a trader at Kalyanpur Natun Bazar, said that vegetable prices hiked due to a lack of supply.
鈥楬owever, the onion price saw a sudden increase in the wholesale market. In the past two days, the price went up by more than Tk 10 per kilogram,鈥� he added, saying that they have nothing to do if the prices go up at the wholesale level.
In the capital, most of the onion supply comes from Faridpur. Traders said prices of onions have increased in Faridpur, impacting the prices at the capital鈥檚 markets.
Meanwhile, prices of different varieties of rice ranged from Tk 55 to Tk 100 a kilogram, which consumers labelled as 鈥榮table at a high level鈥�.
The fine miniket rice maintained its steady high price, selling at Tk 75鈥�85 a kilogram, whereas coarse and medium-quality rice varieties sold at Tk聽55-65 a kilogram on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the government increased the bottled soya bean oil price by Tk 14 per litre on Tuesday.聽As per the new pricing, the retail price of bottled soya bean oil jumped to Tk 189 from Tk 175 per litre.
Commerce adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin announced the new price after a meeting at the secretariat reviewed the edible oil import, supply, and related issues.
The adviser said the new price of a five-litre bottle of soya bean oil has been fixed at Tk 922, up from Tk 852 earlier.
Alongside bottled oil, the new price of loose soya bean and palm oil has been fixed at Tk 169 per litre, up from Tk 157.
Joya Sarkar, a buyer from Paikpara area, told 抖阴精品 that while the prices of daily essentials were relatively low throughout the month of Ramadan, these marked sudden spike across the board.
She added that the hike in soya bean oil prices will put further pressure on the ordinary consumers, urging the government to increase strict market monitoring.
The prices of all types of fish also witnessed a sharp hike on the market. Prices of popular fish varieties like pabda, shrimp, tengra, mola, and ruhi went up by Tk 20 to Tk 50 a kg over the past few weeks.
Shrimp was selling at Tk 800鈥擳k 1,200 per kg, pangas at Tk200鈥擳k220, tilapia at Tk 200-Tk 220, and large-sized ruhi fish at Tk 350鈥擳k 400.
Fish traders said that there has been a shortage in the supply of fish from Mymensingh, Sherpur, Jamalpur, and Rajshahi, and the prices will come down along with the abundance of supply.
Shariful Islam Ripon, a buyer at Kalyanpur, said that no vegetables are available under Tk60 and the prices of fish also went up.
Talking to 抖阴精品, SM Nazer Hossain, vice-president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, pointed out that while the prices of vegetables marked a sharp rise, the government, too, raised the prices of soya bean oil.
鈥業 think there is lack of monitoring and syndicates are always active in the essential markets. Syndicates are always playing with us involving different goods,鈥� he added.
Regarding the soya bean oil price hike, he said that taking advantage of the demand for oil, traders often resort to syndicating.
鈥楾he government couldn鈥檛 take actions during the edible crisis just months ago, but now it has met their demand, negatively affecting the market,鈥� he added.
He urged the government to become more active and stricter in monitoring and taking action against the perpetrators.
