Vegetable prices go up in Dhaka citing short supply after rain damaged fields

The vegetable price skyrocketed in the kitchen markets of the capital city Dhaka after the late autumn rain across the country damaged fields, reports UNB.

Prices of most of the vegetable increased by Tk20 to 40 per kg selling at Tk 80 to Tk 120 per kg on Friday.

Traders and wholesalers  of Karwan Bazar, the biggest hub of vegetable supply in Dhaka told UNB that early varieties of winter vegetables have started appearing in the market but the vegetable fields went under water due to recent heavy rain.

As a result, vegetable fields were damaged in the neighbourhood of Dhaka, Narsingdi, Gazipur, Naraynganj, Tangail, Bogra, Jashore, and Kushtia, from where vegetables are mostly supplied to the capital.

Sukkur Ali, a wholesale trader of Karwn Bazar told the correspondent that usually 6 to 7 vegetable-loaded trucks arrive in his store that are sold to small traders everyday.

But after the recent rains the number of vegetable-loaded trucks arriving in the store has decreased to 3 to 4, he said.

This shortage of supply is pushing prices up in the wholesale and retail markets, the traders said. 

However, on Friday after visiting different kitchen markets this UNB correspondent observed vegetables, fish, and broiler chicken and egg were selling high.

In this situation, the middle and lower-class families who come to the market get upset. Vendors say that not enough vegetables have arrived in the market yet, due to which the prices are relatively high. But with the coming of winter, this price will come down.

The eggplant was selling at Tk 120 per, brinjal (long) at Tk 90 to 100 per, green chili  at Tk220 to 250 per kg based on quality, bean at Tk200 per kg, tomato at Tk 100 to 120 per kg, carrot at Tk 100 to 120 kg, potato at Tk 50 to55 kg, bitter gourd at Tk 80 to 90 kg, balsam apple at Tk 100 to 120 kg, okra at Tk 80 to 90 kg, cucumber at Tk 80 to 90 kg, spone gourd at Tk 80 kg, arum at 80 to 90 kg, radish at Tk 80 kg, green papaya at Tk 30 kg, French bean at Tk 100 to 120 kg, snake gourd at Tk 80 to 95 kg, pumpkin (medium size) at Tk 100 to 150 per piece, cauliflower at Tk 50 to 55 piece, bottle gourd at Tk 70 to 100 per piece,  ash gourd at Tk 60 to 70 per piece, coriander leaves at Tk 500 kg. Capsicum (red) at Tk 600 kg and capsicum (green) at Tk 400 to 450 per kg.

The local onion was selling at Tk 100 per kg, while the imported onion at Tk 80 to 90 kg. Imported garlic‍‍`s price also rose and was selling at Tk 250 to 260 per kg, and local garlic at Tk 240 kg. Imported ginger marked a rise by Tk 30 per kg and was selling at Tk 260 to 280 per kg. The locally produced ginger was selling at Tk 200 to 250 per kg based on quality. 

The price of red lentil remained high and the fine variety of red lentil was selling at Tk 150 per kg while the imported item (coarse variety) was selling at Tk 140 per kg over the week.

Five liters of Rupchanda brand canned soybean oil selling at Tk 860, loose super palm oil at Tk 160 per liter, sugar price at Tk 130 to 140 per kg and molasses at Tk 170 to 200 and flattened rice at Tk 120 to 160 per kg.

Sugar was selling at Tk 120 to 140 per kg, molasses at Tk 200 to 300 and flattened rice at Tk 90 to 140 per kg based on quality. 

The coarse rice was selling at Tk 52 to 56 per kg, Pyjam at Tk 60 to 64 kg, Nazirshail brand of rice at Tk 72 to 80 per kg, Minicate at Tk 66 to 68 per kg, Kattari bhog at Tk 90 kg, Pillau rice (Badsha bhog) at Tk 140 to 155 per kg and Kalijira at Tk 130 to 140 per kg. Coarse flour was selling at Tk 70 to 85 per kg and a 2-kg packet at Tk 140 on Friday in the kitchen market of Dhaka.

The prices of fishes have been increased by Tk 40 to 80 per kg on the news of banning Hilsha catching by the government. Among other fishes- Puti was selling at Tk 400 per kg, live puti at Tk 500 kg,  Kholisa at Tk 400 a kg, Chapila at Tk 500 a kg, cultivated koi at Tk 250 to 280 a kg, Fali Chanda (Rupchada) at Tk 1400 a kg, Chanda small at Tk 400 kg, walking fish (Shoal) at Tk 500 to 600 per kg, Eel at Tk 700 to900 kg, Meni at Tk 500 a kg, sheat (boal) at Tk 600 to 1200 per kg, Ek-thota (Kaitta fish) at Tk 600 to 650 kg, Coral Fish at Tk 600 to 700 per kg, river Pangas at Tk 700 per kg, cultivated Pangas at Tk 200 to 250 per kg, Rajputi at Tk 450 per kg, Tilapia at Tk 240 kg, Ruhit at Tk 350 to 400 per kg, medium  size carp (katol) at Tk 300-320 a kg, big size katol at Tk 400 to 500 per kg,  local variety of Cat fish (Shing) at Tk 800 to 1000 per kg, barbel at Tk 600 a kg, lobster at Tk 800-1000 a kg, and shrimp at Tk 500-600 per kg.

Beef is selling for Tk 780 to 800 per kg the mutton at Tk 1150 to 1180. A medium size local cock was selling at Tk 450 to 500 per piece and hen at Tk 400 to 450. The boiler chickens‍‍` price stands at Tk 180 to 200 per kg. The egg (farm) was selling at Tk 160 per dozen, egg (local) at Tk 70 and egg (duck) at Tk 70 to Tk 75. Pigeon per pair was selling at Tk300 to Tk 350.