Anisul Islam Noor
The prices of vegetables, ginger, garlic fish, egg and rice increased further in the city’s kitchen markets last week to the dismay of the consumers.
The retailers have blamed the wholesalers for increase of price while the wholesalers shift the responsibility on the mill owners, who say that crushing of rice has been largely hampered due to severe cold wave for days together.
Whatever is the reason, a government employee said that high price of any product is not a welcome news to them. It affected their real income. So, implies upon the government to protect the interest of both the growers and the consumers.
Aubergine, bean, papaya, cucumber, potato, and bitter gourd were selling at Tk 60 to Tk 70 a kg, Tk 40 to Tk 60, Tk 30, Tk 60, Tk30 to Tk40, and Tk 80 respectively on Friday. Most of them marked a rise by Tk five to eight.
The prices of radish carrot, turnip, and spinach remained unchanged, selling for Tk 30 a kg, Tk 40, Tk 40, and Tk 40 at the Mohakhali kitchen market on Friday.
Cauliflower and cabbage were sold for Tk 35 and Tk 40 apiece respectively in the South Goran capital’s kitchen markets. The local ripe tomato was selling for Tk 80 a kg while green tomato was selling for Tk 50 a kg on the day.
The price of green chilli remained unchanged, and was selling for Tk 80 a kg on the day.
The local variety of newly harvested onion was selling for Tk 40 a kg and imported onion at the same rate on Friday. The prices of the local varieties of garlic and ginger remained unchanged and the commodities were retailing for Tk 60 and Tk 100 a kg respectively.
The price of potato increased by Tk five a kg and was selling at between Tk 30 and Tk 35 based on quality.
Unpacked soya bean and super palm oil remained unchanged and were selling for Tk 130 a kg and Tk 95 respectively while each five-litre bottle of soya bean oil was selling at Tk 655 to Tk 665 on the day.
The price of fish remained steady over the week. Rohit was selling at Tk 260 to Tk 420, katla at Tk 200 to Tk 300, pangas at Tk 120 to Tk 230 and tilapia at Tk 110 to Tk 140, depending on their size and quality on Friday.
The price of broiler chicken decreased by Tk 15 and was selling at Tk 150 to Tk 155.
The prices of beef and red meat remained stable selling for Tk 280 a kg and Tk 425 respectively on the day.
Local red lentil price remained high and was selling for Tk 140 a kg while the imported red lentil for Tk 80 on Friday.
Sugar was selling at Tk 50 to Tk 52 a kg, and egg was selling for Tk 40 a hali (four piece).
Coarse and fine varieties of rice are on increase at both the wholesale and retail markets in the city, as the transport cost increased by Tk3000 and Tk 5000 per truck to reach Dhaka from North Bengal, traders alleged.
Fine varieties of miniket and najirshail were selling at between Tk 44 and Tk 52 a kg increased from Tk 38 and 44. The prices of BR-28, miniket and najirshail increased by
Tk four to Tk eight in the retail market. The BR-28 variety of rice was selling at Tk 38-40 a kg, increased from Tk 33-35 a kg on Friday.
Shahidul Islam, a wholesaler of Karwan Bazar, told New Nation that the mill owners has increased the prices of coarse and fine varieties of rice in the name of fuel price hike.
Besides this, the production process of rice has been largely hampered due to dense fog during the last couple of weeks.
But Mustafizur Rahman, retailer, alleged that a syndicate manipulated the market spreading rumour that the government might allow the export of rice immediately.
The lower income groups of people have been affected severely, said Qazi Faruk, President of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB).
