Relief in vegetable market, rice, chicken, fish prices still high

With the onset of winter, the supply of vegetables to the country’s kitchen markets has increased. The market is now filled with new fresh vegetables; as a result, prices have also decreased.

Visiting several kitchen markets including Mirpur and Karwan Bazar in the capital on Friday (January 10), it was found that the price of potatoes, which has been causing discomfort to the consumers for several months, has also decreased significantly. At present, the prices of all winter vegetables in the market are within the purchasing power of the common consumers. The price of eggs has also been stable for the past few weeks.

However, the prices of rice, chicken and fish are still high in the markets.

The supply of winter vegetables to the market has increased significantly. The prices of cauliflower, cabbage and tomatoes have decreased by Tk 10 per kg. The rest of the vegetables are also being sold at affordable prices.

Round and long brinjals are selling for Tk 40-50 per kg. Radish is selling for Tk 15-20 per kg, papaya and turnip for Tk 20-30, cauliflower and cabbage Tk 10-20 per kg, gourd Tk 30-50 per piece and banana leaves at Tk 30. In addition, green chillies are selling for Tk 60-80 per kg, beans for Tk 30-50, cucumber for Tk 30-50 per kg.

Potato prices have also eased. Potatoes that were sold at Tk 55-60 last week are now selling for Tk 30-40. The price of onion has also reduced. Domestic onions are now sold at Tk 50-55 per kg and Indian new onions at Tk 55-60. However, garlic and ginger are still selling at high prices.

On Friday (January 10), domestic garlic was sold at Tk 250 per kg, Indian garlic at Tk 220 per kg, and Chinese ginger at Tk 180-200 per kg.

Meanwhile, the prices of beef and mutton have remained unchanged like last week. Beef is sold at Tk 700-780 per kg and mutton at Tk 1100-1150 per kg. However, the price of chicken is still extremely high. Broiler chicken is now selling for Tk 200-210 per kg and sonali chicken for Tk 340 per kg.

Apart from this, there is no good news in the fish market either. Depending on the size, pabda fish is sold at Tk 350-400 per kg, tilapia at Tk 200 per kg, small ruhi at Tk 250-300 per kg, ruhi weighing 4-5 kg at Tk 400-450 per kg, tengra at Tk 650 per kg, cultivated shing at Tk 450 per kgand pangash at Tk 180-200 per kg depending on the size.

The rice market is also showing signs of recovery in the peak season. Nazirshail is now sold at Tk 80-90 per kg, miniket at Tk 85-90 depending on the quality, BR-28 rice at Tk 60-65, coarse rice (guti swarna) at Tk 55-58, old atash at Tk 65 taka, paijam at Tk 60, Kataribhog at Tk 85 per kg, basmati at Tk 94-98 per kg, pulao rice at Tk 120-125 per kg and aman at Tk 70 per kg.

Consumers are expressing anger over the increase in rice prices. The alleged that no good quality rice is available below Tk 70. Traders are increasing prices continuously due to lack of market monitoring.