Spice, protein prices crush Dhaka shoppers’ relief
Photo: Agamir Somoy
Although there was a rush of shopping in Dhaka’s major kitchen markets, the smile of relief was absent on the faces of ordinary people on Friday.
The prices of some daily essential vegetables, including green chilies, have come somewhat within reach due to increased supply from India but the low and middle-income people are gasping for breath due to the high prices of fish, chicken, eggs, and spices.
Each kilogram of green chilies is selling in the retail market for Tk 80-100 (wholesale Tk 60-70). Papaya, okra, and pointed gourd are selling within Tk 50-60. Although potatoes are available at Tk 25-30 and local onions at Tk 55-60, eggplant and tomatoes are still Tk 100-140.
On the other hand, the prices of grains and pulses are somewhat stable. According to the wholesale list of Karwan Bazar, Miniket rice is selling at Tk 80 per kilogram (wholesale Tk 77) and 28 rice at Tk 60 (wholesale Tk 52). High-quality red lentils are sold at Tk 145 in retail, ordinary red lentils at Tk 70, mung bean at Tk 150 and chickpeas at Tk 95.
In the market, farm eggs are selling at Tk 150-160 per dozen. The price of broiler chicken is Tk 180-200 per kilogram, and Sonali chicken is Tk 300-320. Even to buy ordinary tilapia or pangas fish, one has to shell out Tk 240-260 per kilogram, while the price of Rui fish, a favorite of the middle class, has risen to Tk 380-420.
This slight relief in rice, pulses, and vegetables is being overshadowed by the higher prices of protein and spice items. In retail, each kilogram of cardamom is selling at a record price of Tk 4,600 (wholesale Tk 4,400), white and black pepper at Tk 1,250-1,300. However, bringing some relief, cinnamon has come down to Tk 500 and cumin to Tk 600 per kilogram.
The price of cardamom, which sold for Tk 3,800-4,200 last year, has increased by about Tk 300-700 per kilogram and has risen to Tk 4,500-4,600. Pepper, which was Tk 950 last year, has increased by Tk 300-350 and is selling at Tk 1,250-1,300.
Due to positive changes in the international market and imports, the price of cumin has dropped by Tk 100-500 per kilogram to Tk 600 from last year’s Tk 700-1,100. The price of cinnamon has also decreased by Tk 40-100 and is available at Tk 500.
However, due to poor cardamom production in Guatemala and India, the exchange rate of the dollar, and excessive changing by the importer-wholesaler syndicate, the prices of cardamom and pepper are still high.
According to buyers, unless there are regular drives by market monitoring agencies and the manipulation of middlemen is prevented, there is no escape for ordinary people from this grindstone.
