Egg price rises further after meat, edible oil, sugar

The price of eggs went up further in the capital’s kitchen markets this week after an increase in edible oil, sugar, meat and onion prices in the previous week.

Traders said due to an increase in the prices of fish, meat and vegetables, there was growing demand for eggs in the market. Besides, many poultry farmers have stopped production due to a steep rise in temperature and frequent load-shedding. Shortage in supply and increase in demand lead to the price hike of eggs, they added.

Visiting the various kitchen markets in the capital, including Segunbagicha and Malibagh, it was seen that farm brown egg was being sold at Tk 140 per dozen on Friday while it was Tk 130 last week. Besides, farm white egg was being sold at Tk 135 per dozen while it was Tk 125 last week.

Nur-e-Alam, an egg trader, said the prices of meat, fish and vegetables have gone up substantially in the past few weeks. The price of green papaya, the least expensive vegetable, is now above Tk 50 per kg. The price of hilsa fish weighing one kg is Tk 2,000. Other fishes also cost a minimum of Tk 350 per kg, he added.

He said meat price (Tk 800 per kg) has not come down after Eid. It was Tk 750 per kg two weeks ago before Eid. In comparison with meat price, egg was cheaper. “So, people have become more dependent on eggs. That is why, sale of eggs has increased. We cannot easily buy eggs from the wholesale market due to huge demand,” he said.

But farm chicken price decreased slightly. Broiler chicken was sold at Tk 185-215 per kg on Friday while it was Tk 215-230 per kg last week.

Though the government raised the sugar price, traders were selling the sweetener at higher price than the government-fixed rate. The Ministry of Commerce has increased the price of loose sugar from Tk 104 to Tk 120 per kg this week. But on Friday, loose sugar was sold at Tk 140 per kg in the capital’s retail markets.

Retailers at various kitchen markets said they have to buy sugar from Moulvibazar wholesale market at Tk 128 per kg. “We cannot sell it less than Tk 140 per kg after adding other expenses,” one of them said. Soybean oil was sold at Tk 199 per litre on Friday while it was Tk 187 per litre last week. Palm oil was sold at Tk 135 per litre while it was Tk 117 per litre last week.

The prices of onion, potato and some vegetables also increased further this week. Onion was sold at Tk 65 per kg while it was Tk 50 per kg last week. Potato was sold at Tk 35-40 per kg while it was Tk 30 per kg.

However, rice, flour and gram prices remained stable. Coarse rice was sold at Tk 46-50 per kg while fine rice was sold at Tk 65-80 per kg this week. Loose flour was sold at Tk 50-60 per kg while coarse lentil sold at Tk 90-100 per kg.