The prices of vegetables and other essentials rose slightly on the capital鈥檚 kitchen markets on Friday amid transportation disruptions caused by Thursday鈥檚 lockdown called by聽the ousted Awami League, which is currently banned from holding activities.
After visiting kitchen markets, including Kallyanpur Natun Bazar, Agargaon Taltola Bazar and Karwan Bazar wholesale market, it was observed that vegetables were being sold at about Tk 10-20 higher prices than past week.
Traders said that vegetable prices began to fall a few weeks ago, thanks to an increase in supply of early winter vegetables.
鈥楬owever, due to fear of arson attacks and vehicle vandalism, comparatively fewer trucks, loaded with fresh vegetables, entered Dhaka in the last two to three days,鈥� said Shah Alam, a vegetable vendor at Karwan Bazar.聽
Moreover, the prices of onions remained high on Friday with the spice item selling at Tk 100-120 a kilogram, amid a supply crunch at the end of the season.
Onion prices witnessed a sudden hike two weeks ago, surging by Tk 20-30 a kilogram from Tk 70-80聽earlier.
Among notable vegetables, beans sold at Tk 100-120 a kilogram, soaring from that of Tk 60-80 in the last week, though prices of radish and small-sized cauliflowers remained unchanged at Tk 40 a kilogram and Tk 40-60 apiece respectively.聽
The price of green chillies surged to Tk 120 a kilogram on the wholesale market, up from Tk 80-100 a kilogram last week.聽
On Friday, spiny gourds were sold for Tk 100 a kilogram, pointed gourds and okra at Tk 50-60 a kilogram, yardlong beans at Tk 100-120 a kilogram, and bitter gourd at Tk 100 a kilogram, about Tk 10-30 higher than last week.
Aubergines were sold at Tk 80-120 a kilogram, cucumbers at Tk 80, and tomatoes at Tk 140 a kilogram, all of which saw a Tk 10-30 a kilogram increase.
Red chillies were selling at Tk 350-500 a kilogram, depending on variety.
The price of potatoes remained unchanged at about Tk 20-25 a kilogram.聽
The price of papaya was Tk 30 a kilogram, that of taro runner Tk 50-60, taro stem Tk 40-50 a kilogram and carrot Tk 120-140 a kilogram.
Bottle gourds were sold for Tk 50-70 apiece, based on the variant.
Local variant of garlic was sold for Tk 120 per kilogram, while its imported variant was sold for Tk 200 a kilogram. Meanwhile, ginger was sold at Tk 130 a kilogram on Friday.
Traders said that vegetable prices soared due to supply disruptions and they had to buy the items at higher prices from wholesale markets.
Regarding onion prices, traders said that the item鈥檚 prices soared as supply declined at this time, as it usually did, and that the high prices could persist for the next few months until the new season鈥檚 harvest arrived.
Meanwhile, on November 9, commerce adviser Sk. Bashir Uddin said that the government would allow import of onions if high prices persisted for the next 4 to 5 days.
He also said that the government had been keeping a close eye on the onion market.
Earlier on November 6, the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission recommended that the commerce and agriculture ministries to allow the import of onions to stabilise the market.
In this regard, the BTTC also sent a findings report to secretaries of the commerce and agriculture ministries, demonstrating trends in聽onion prices over the past years.
Although the 22-day hilsa fishing ban ended at midnight on October 26, the price of the national delicacy still remained out of reach for consumers, selling at about Tk 800-2,000 a kilogram, depending on size.
The prices of fish have remained high over the past few weeks, with Ruhi selling at Tk 300-450 a kilogram, based on size, Katla at Tk 350-450 a kilogram, Shing at Tk 550 a kilogram, Pangash at Tk 180-220, and Tilapia at Tk 150-200 a kilogram.
Md Imran Master, president of Bangladesh Kachamal Arat Malik Samity, told 抖阴精品 that due to transport disruptions, kitchen markets experienced a supply shortage.
鈥楬owever, as winter progressed, the supply of vegetables on the market would increase and prices were likely to fall further throughout the season,鈥� he added.
He also urged the government to control security and safety on the roads so that such 鈥榤ischief鈥� would not hamper the supply chains.
The price of broiler chicken remained stable at Tk 160-170 a kilogram, while eggs were sold at Tk 120 per dozen for the white variant and Tk 130 for the brown variant.
Sonali chicken was sold at Tk 250-280 a kilogram and the domestic variant at Tk 550-600 a kilogram.
Packaged atta was sold at Tk 62-65 a kilogram and unpackaged atta at Tk 45-50 a kilogram. Meanwhile, packaged maida sold for Tk 75 a kilogram, and its unpackaged variant for Tk 65 a kilogram.
On Friday, the price of Miniket rice ranged from Tk 70 to Tk聽80 a kilogram, down slightly, while Paijam or Athash was sold at Tk 60-70 a kilogram聽and the coarse variant at Tk 55-60 a聽kilogram.
Packaged soya bean oil was sold at Tk 190 a litre and a five-litre bottle cost Tk 922. In contrast, the prices of unpackaged soya bean oil and palm oil were Tk 176 and Tk 166 a litre respectively.
The price of beef remained at Tk 750-800 a kilogram and mutton at Tk聽1,100-1,200 a kilogram on Friday.
The prices of red lentils remained static at Tk 150-155 a kilogram for the fine variant, Tk 125-130 for the medium variant and Tk 100-110 for the coarse variant.
