Vegetable prices drop as eggs, fish costs surge
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
Relief returned to the vegetable market after several weeks of high prices attributed to heavy rainfall.
With an increase in supply, green produce is now available between Tk 60 and 80. The price of green chilies is also on a downward trend; after reaching nearly Tk 400 per kg, they are now being sold for Tk 200-220.
However, this relief in the vegetable sector has failed to alter the overall market scenario. Instead, egg prices have been rising for two weeks, while the fish market faces similar pressure.
Prices for chicken and other meats also remain uncomfortable, leading consumers to report that despite the drop in a few items, their total expenses have not decreased.
On Friday, visits to various kitchen markets in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar and Moghbazar areas revealed this situation.
A few weeks ago, it was difficult to find many vegetables for less than Tk 100-120. At that time, sellers cited crop damage in the fields due to continuous rain and reduced supply as primary reasons for the price hike.
Now that the weather has normalized slightly, supply in the market has begun to increase, impacting retail levels.
Long beans are selling for Tk 80 per kg, ribbed gourd for Tk 100, snake gourd for Tk 80, sponge gourd for Tk 60, cucumber for Tk 60-80, pointed gourd for Tk 60, okra for Tk 60, papaya for Tk 40, and pumpkin for Tk 60.
Bottle gourds are selling for Tk 60-80 each, radishes for Tk 80, ash gourds for Tk 60, taro for Tk 80, and green bananas at Tk 40 per four pieces.
However, shopkeepers are selling round eggplants for Tk 100-150 per kg, carrots for nearly Tk 100, bitter gourd for Tk 100-120, and tomatoes for Tk 160. The price of arum lobes and arum roots also ranges between Tk 80 and 100 per kg depending on the market.
The decrease in green chili prices has also brought some relief to consumers. While it reached up to Tk 400 per kg last week, it is now being sold for Tk 200-220.
According to sellers, supply has increased in the market as imports from India have begun, leading to a price drop.
Haider Ali, a vegetable seller in Moghbazar, said, “Vegetables did not come properly from the fields during the rain. Supply had decreased because crops were destroyed in many places. Now that new vegetables have started arriving, prices have also dropped slightly. However, the situation may change again if there is continuous rain.”
In contrast to the vegetable market, the egg market shows the opposite trend. The price of farm-raised chicken eggs has increased in stages over the past two weeks. While a dozen brown eggs sold for Tk 140, it rose to Tk 150 last week. By the end of this week, the price has reached up to Tk 160 in some retail shops, though they are available for around Tk 150 in larger markets.
Ilias Mollah, a private sector employee at Karwan Bazar, said, “The fact that the price of chilies and some vegetables has decreased is good. But the prices of eggs, fish, and other products are high. Therefore, overall market expenses remain the same as before.”
The fish market is also under pressure, with sellers reporting that fish prices have increased by Tk 20-30 per kg over the week. Pangas is selling for around Tk 230 per kg, Tilapia for Tk 260, medium-sized Rui for Tk 300-350, and large Rui for Tk 450-500.
Shrimp is being sold for Tk 800-900 per kg, Pabda for Tk 350-400, Tengra for Tk 700, Vetki for Tk 400-550, and Mrigel for Tk 250-300. The price of some large-sized marine fish has exceeded Tk 1000.
