Vegetable prices drop, but rice and sugar surge
Photo: Agamir Somoy
Due to continuous rain, the prices of raw vegetables in Dhaka’s markets had been on the rise since the beginning of August. However, with the improvement of the weather and increased supply, vegetable prices have started to decline gradually.
Although this fall in prices in the raw market has brought some relief to consumers, a different picture is seen for other essential commodities. The prices of daily essentials like rice, sugar, flour, eggs, and milk are rising over the span of days, weeks, and months.
Such a picture of market prices and shopping was observed on Thursday, during visits to Karwan Bazar, Hatirpool, and Ray Saheb Bazar.
The prices of most vegetables have decreased by Tk 10-20 per kilogram. Pointed gourd was seen selling at Tk 50, which was Tk 70 last week. Cucumber is sold at Tk 50, which was Tk 60, while bitter gourd is selling at Tk 70, yardlong bean at Tk 70, sponge gourd at Tk 60, ridge gourd at Tk 70, and snake gourd at Tk 50.
The continuous rain had the greatest impact on the markets for green chilies and eggplants. The price of green chilies had reached Tk 400 per kg and eggplants Tk 150. As the supply normalized, the price of green chilies decreased and they are sold at Tk 120, while eggplants are selling at Tk 50-60.
Moreover, teasle gourd is selling at Tk 70, carrots at Tk 100, papaya at Tk 30, okra at Tk 50, tomatoes at Tk 120, taro at Tk 70, sweet pumpkin at Tk 50, green bananas at Tk 30 per four pieces (hali), bottle gourd at Tk 60 per piece, and taro stolon at Tk 70 per kg in the market.
The prices of potatoes at Tk 30 and onions at Tk 50 per kg remain unchanged. As the season has ended, the winter vegetable hyacinth bean is sold at Tk 160 per kg, down from Tk 200 last week.
Although there is slight relief in the raw vegetable market, the opposite picture prevails in the markets for rice, sugar, flour, and milk. Sugar is selling at Tk 130 per kg, which was Tk 110 last week. Flour, which was available at Tk 55 per kg at the beginning of the month, is now selling at Tk 65.
Although there is no major change in the price of ordinary rice, polao rice is selling at high prices. Loose polao rice is selling at Tk 190-200, and packaged polao rice is selling at Tk 220-230. Liquid milk of various brands is selling at Tk 110 per liter, which was Tk 100 just a short while ago.
According to market observers, although instability in the raw vegetable market depends on the season and weather, the uncontrolled rise in the prices of daily commodities like flour, sugar, or milk is not solely due to supply shortages. Corporate syndicates, dishonest middlemanship at the wholesale level, and a lack of monitoring are primarily responsible for this.
Rather than just conducting drives at the retail level, if the production and selling prices of importers and mill owners are regularly monitored, and the open market supply of daily essentials is increased through the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), buyers could be spared from the suffering.
