The prices of onions and summer vegetables have been soaring on the capital鈥簊 kitchen markets over the week ending Friday.
On Friday, after visiting some kitchen markets, including Karwan Bazar and Kalyanpur Natun Bazar, it was seen that the prices of onions have gone up by about Tk 5-10 a kilogram to Tk聽60-65.
In the last week, onions were Tk 50-55 at the wholesale market and Tk 60 at neighbourhood markets.
Moreover, the prices of early-summer vegetables witnessed either a hike or remained stable at high prices.
At Karwan Bazar, summer vegetables like spiny gourd were sold at Tk 120-130 a kilogram, luffa at Tk聽60-70 a kilogram, and pointed gourd at Tk 50-60 a kilogram.
Moreover, bitter gourd was sold at Tk 60 a kilogram, yardlong bean at Tk 80, ladies finger at Tk 50, and aubergine at Tk 80 for round-shaped and Tk 120 for long-shaped.
However, the price is around Tk 5-20 higher in the neighbouring markets.
Talking to 抖阴精品, Md Imran Master, president of Bangladesh Kachamal Arot Malik Samiti, said that vegetable prices were lower during Ramadan thanks to an ample supply of winter vegetables until Ramadan.
However, the production cost of summer vegetables is relatively high, which impacts the markets, he added, noting that if supply increases, the prices will come down.
Echoing Imran, the traders also said that vegetable prices remained high in April every year, as this month witnessed low vegetable production between winter and summer.
In April, winter vegetables almost completely disappear from the markets while some summer varieties begin to come in.
However, the traders said the prices of vegetables were still lower in April than last year. In April of last year, no vegetables were available below Tk80 per kg/unit.
Regarding the price of onions, Imran Master said that they are no longer in the hands of small farmers as big traders buy them and stockpile them.
鈥楾he government should increase monitoring on those who have bought onions from small farmers and stockpiled them,鈥� he added.
Meanwhile, the price of potatoes remained unchanged at Tk20 per kg along with tomatoes at Tk30-Tk 40 a kilogram, papaya at Tk 60, and cucumbers at Tk 50-60 a kilogram.
The poultry prices dropped further to Tk 160 per kg at Karwan Bazar and Tk 170- Tk180 at neighbourhood markets in the capital. The Sonali chicken prices also declined.
The green chillies were sold at Tk 60- Tk 80 per kg.
The price of beef and mutton stayed the same, about Tk 750-聽800 a kilogram for beef and Tk 1,100-1,200 for mutton.
The price of eggs remained unchanged at Tk 120-125 a dozen, though prices varied from market to market.
Meanwhile, prices of different rice varieties ranged from Tk 55 to Tk 100 a kilogram, which consumers termed 鈥榮table at a high level鈥�.
The fine variety of Miniket maintained its steady high price, selling at Tk 75-85 a kilogram, whereas coarse and medium-quality rice varieties sold at Tk 55-65 a kilogram on Friday.
In the neighbourhood markets, the price of Miniket was Tk 88 a kilogram.
Recently, the government increased the retail price of bottled soya bean oil by Tk 14 a litre, bringing it to Tk 189 from Tk 175 a litre.
The new price of a five-litre bottle of soya bean oil has been fixed at Tk 922, up from that of Tk 852 earlier.
Alongside bottled oil, unpackaged soya bean and palm oil prices have been fixed at Tk 169 a litre, up from that of Tk 157 a litre.
In the capital鈥簊 kitchen markets, the prices of all types of fish remained high.
Popular fish like shrimp are sold at Tk 800-1,000 a kilogram, Pangas at Tk聽200-220, Tilapia at Tk聽200-220, large-sized Rohita at聽Tk 320-350, and Katla at Tk 350鈥擳k 380 per kg.
Lucky Akter, a buyer from Kallyanpur, said the prices of almost all essentials had soared, and she urged the government to monitor the market regularly.
