The prices of most daily essentials remained high on Friday, leaving the consumers under pressure.
For the past six weeks, almost all kinds of vegetables, eggs, chicken, and fish have been sold at elevated prices, while rice prices remained high for almost 3 months.
Moreover, the prices of flour, atta, and lentils have gone up as well over the last two to three weeks.
In such circumstances, low-income people felt the heat of the hiked prices.
After visiting some retail and wholesale kitchen markets like Kallyanpur Natun Bazar, Agargaon Taltola Bazar, and Karwan Bazar, it was observed that聽packaged atta was sold at Tk 65-70 a kilogram and unpackaged atta was sold at Tk 52 a kilogram, which was Tk 50 just a week ago.
Packaged maida was sold at Tk聽75 a kilogram, while its unpackaged variant was sold at Tk聽65 a kilogram.
Both atta and maida witnessed a hike of Tk 5-15 per kg in the past month.
Onions were sold at Tk聽80 a kilogram on kitchen markets in the capital, implying that the item鈥檚 import has not聽had any impact on retail markets.
On Friday, eggs were sold at Tk聽140-150 a dozen, broiler chickens were sold at Tk聽165-180 a kilogram, Sonali chicken at Tk聽300-340 a kilogram, and domestic chicken at Tk聽600-700 a kilogram on the day, and almost all vegetables were at above Tk 80.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission sent a report regarding the prices of essentials to the secretary of the Ministry of Commerce.
Md Mahmudul Hasan, deputy chief, trade policy department of the BTTC, sent the report.
According to the report, the prices of vegetables and eggs witnessed a sharp hike due to the prolonged monsoon rain.
鈥楧ue to the lean season, the price of onions witnessed a hike, where the prices of other vegetables, eggs, and chillies also surged due to the prolonged monsoon,鈥� the report added.
The report also recommended allowing聽import if the retail price of eggs crosses Tk聽150 for a dozen and that of onion crosses Tk聽90 for a kilogram.
The letter also recommended exempting duty and tax on the import of these items, along with increased聽monitoring of the entire supply chain of the vegetables.
Among other major vegetables, green chillies were sold at Tk聽220-250 a kilogram on retail markets and Tk聽160-180 a kilogram on wholesale markets.
Spiny gourd was sold at Tk聽80 a kilogram, the same as the past week, while snake gourd and pointed gourd were sold at Tk聽70-80 a kilogram on the day.
The price of okra was Tk聽70 a kilogram, while yard-long beans and bitter gourds were sold for Tk聽70-80 a kilogram.
Aubergine was sold at Tk 80-100 a kilogram on the Karwan Bazar wholesale market.
Red chillies were sold for Tk聽450-500 a kilogram, depending on the variant.
Cucumbers were sold for Tk聽60-80 a kilogram at Karwan Bazar, where tomatoes were sold at Tk 120-140 a kilogram.
Potatoes were sold at Tk 25 a kilogram, papaya at Tk 30, taro runner at Tk 60, and taro stem at Tk 50 a kilogram.
Early-season beans were also available on the market and sold at Tk聽200-220 a kilogram.
Prices of vegetables were about Tk聽20-30 higher per unit on neighbourhood markets in the capital.
Md Imran Master, president of Bangladesh Kachamal Arat Malik Samity, told 抖阴精品 that the country鈥檚 agriculture was currently in the lean season 鈥� a period of low production.
鈥楳oreover, due to the prolonged monsoon, the farmland remained damp or waterlogged, which hindered the cultivation, leading to lower supply and higher prices,鈥� he added.
He also acknowledged that some dishonest traders were taking advantage of the supply shortage, urging the government to increase monitoring.
鈥楶rices would ease only when fresh seasonal produce starts arriving on the markets again. But the weather situation this year is alarmingly uncertain and we can鈥檛 predict anything,鈥� he added.
Fish were also sold at high prices for the past few weeks, with Hilsa being sold at Tk 1,300-3,000 a kilogram based on size.聽
Among other popular varieties, Boal was selling at Tk 750鈥�900 a kilogram, farmed Ruhi at Tk 380-450 a kilogram, Katla at Tk 380-480 a kilogram, Tilapia at Tk 180鈥�220 a kilogram, Pangas at Tk 180鈥�230 a kilogram, Koi at Tk 200鈥�220 a kilogram and Pabda and Shing at Tk 400鈥�500 a kilogram.
On Friday, the price of Miniket rice ranged from Tk 75 to Tk聽84 a kilogram, depending on the variant, while Paijam or Athash was sold at Tk 60-70 a kilogram and the coarse variant at Tk 55-60 a kilogram.
Packaged soya bean oil was sold for Tk聽189 a litre, and a five-litre bottle of the item cost Tk 922. In contrast, the prices of unpackaged soya bean oil and palm oil were Tk 170 per litre.
The price of beef remained stable at Tk 750-800 a kilogram and mutton at Tk聽1,100-1,200 a kilogram on the day.
