Tk 100 now just entry fee for Dhaka vegetables
Photo: Agamir Somoy
In Dhaka’s markets, a Tk 100 note is now merely an “entry fee” for buying vegetables. A note that once could purchase several kilograms of various vegetables is now often restricted to a single item, and even that is hard to find.
For almost every vegetable, consumers must pay additional money on top of Tk 100. Exceptions are limited to only a few items like papaya and okra. As a result, vegetables have become a source of extra worry in the daily diets of middle and low-income people.
Sellers claimed that supply is low due to continuous rain, which is driving up prices. On the other hand, buyers are asking how they will afford to eat vegetables if prices are this high.
Protein was already being removed from the plate earlier; now, even leafy greens and vegetables seem like luxury items.
Beauty Akter, a resident of Mohanagar Residential Area, said she had to buy bitter gourd at Tk 120 per kg. The prices of everything in the market have increased significantly. Fish is also a minimum of Tk 250. Medium-sized shrimp, which she previously bought for Tk 650-700 per kg, has now crossed Tk 950.
She added, “I accept that they increased prices using the excuse of rain, but bananas have nothing to do with rain; so why is the price of this product so high?”
A visit to Kathalbagan, Malibagh, and Karwan Bazar on Friday showed that the price of almost all types of vegetables has increased by Tk 10-40 per kg over the last two weeks. Traders claimed the situation is due to continuous rainfall, damage to fields, and a decrease in supply to Dhaka.
In the market, yardlong beans, bitter gourd, and long eggplants are selling for Tk 120 per kg; round eggplants for Tk 160, bitter melon for Tk 140, tomatoes for Tk 160-220, cucumbers for Tk 140-160, arum lobes for Tk 100, teasle gourd for Tk 120, carrots for Tk 130, and snake gourd for Tk 80.
Depending on the size, bottle gourds are selling for Tk 80-100 each, cauliflower for Tk 60-80, and cabbage for Tk 60.
While papaya is still within Tk 40-50, it is now considered a relatively low-priced vegetable. Green chili prices have also kept pace with vegetables. Depending on the market, green chilies are selling for Tk 200-280 per kg, even touching Tk 300 in some places.
Coriander leaves are Tk 220-300 per kg, capsicum is Tk 350, and green bananas are selling for Tk 40 per hali (four pieces).
Sellers said vegetable fields in various districts have been submerged due to several days of continuous rain. Production has decreased in many places, and there are additional costs for transporting the vegetables that can be harvested. This is impacting the retail market.
Md Sohel, a vegetable seller at Malibagh Market, added, “Because of the rain, fewer vegetables are coming from the fields. We have to buy at higher prices at the wholesale market. For this reason, we cannot sell at previous prices.”
It is not just vegetables; prices in the animal protein market have also risen. Compared to last week, the price of chicken has increased by up to Tk 10 per kg. Sonali Cock chicken is selling for Tk 350, Sonali Hybrid for Tk 320, broiler for Tk 180-190, red layer for Tk 360, and local (Desi) chicken for Tk 750 per kg.
Meanwhile, in the fish market, farmed Shing fish is selling for Tk 300-600 per kg, local (Desi) Shing for Tk 1,200-1,400, Rui for Tk 400-550, Mrigal for Tk 350-450, Tilapia for Tk 200, farmed Pangas for Tk 180-200, Koi for Tk 200-220, Pabda for Tk 400-450, Boal for Tk 600-800, and shrimp for Tk 800-1,400.
An upward trend was also observed in the egg market. A dozen red eggs are selling for Tk 135, duck eggs for Tk 180, a hali of local chicken eggs for Tk 100, and a hali of Sonali Cock chicken eggs for Tk 70.
