Home ›› Economy ›› Agriculture
Although the prompt imports of green chillies have potentially contributed to reining in the spiralling prices of the vegetable in the wholesale markets, the prices are dropping quite slowly at the retail level.
After Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest festival of the Muslim community, the prices of green chillies were decreasing as the supply increased, cutting short the demand, subsequently.
Two days ago, green chillies were sold at the price of Tk 400 per kg in Karwan Bazar of the capital at the wholesale level. On Monday, the green chillies were available at Tk 150-240 depending on the standards as the imported chilli started entering the wholesale market.
However, green chillies are still being sold at Tk 250-300 per kg in various retail markets of the capital. Currently, the vegetable is being sold at Tk 350-400 per kg in some retail kitchen markets which was Tk 600 per kg two days ago.
Sellers said that many retailers still have stocks of chillies they bought at high prices so they are trying to sell them at high prices. Others who bought the newly arrived green chillies at a lower price were able to sell them at a lower price.
The prices of green chilli started to cool down from Saturday as the import of the vegetable began through various land ports after a week of suffering due to the exponentially high prices.
According to the Agriculture Ministry, so far around 230 tonnes of green chillies have been imported from India through various land ports of the country, including Bhomra, Hili and Benapole after import permits (IP) were granted on June 25. So far, import permits (IP) have been granted for 46,230 tonnes of green chilli.
Among them, a total of 114 tonnes of green chilli was imported in a single day through four land ports from India on Sunday. As the price of green chilli started rising before Eid-ul-Azha, Agricultural Extension Department permitted importing essential kitchen item.
Visiting the various vegetable market of the capital, the Business Post correspondent saw that two types of green chillies were being sold including local and imported ones on Monday.
Md Dipu, a vegetable seller of Karwan Bazar, bought five kgs of green chilli at Tk 200 per kg from a supplier after the Indian green chillies arrived early hours of Monday. He said, "We are selling the green chillies nearly at our buying rate and making a very minor profit."
Impran Mia, another trader in Karwan Bazar, bought another 5 kg green chilli from a wholesaler in the morning at Tk 180 per kg, he said, the prices of chillies fluctuates depending on the production areas and countries of import. Besides, green chillies were also sold at Tk 300-350 depending on the quality at Roy Saheb Bazar in the old part of Dhaka.
Siraj Mia, a vegetable seller also voiced the same and said, he bought green chilli at Tk 250 per kg from the wholesale market and sold it at Tk 300 per kg including other costs.
In Mirpur’s Kazipara, Sheorapara and Taltala vegetable markets, green chillies were being sold at Tk 240-320 per kg on Monday which was Tk 600, a day earlier.
After importing from India, green chillies are being sold at Tk 300-350 per kg in retail markets in Khilgaon Bazar, Goran Bazar, Dakshin Banshri and surrounding areas while in New Market and Azimpur market, local green chillies were being sold at Tk 500 per kg and imported Indian green chillies were being sold at Tk 300 per kg.
