Soaring onion prices leave consumers crying

The prices of onion – a key ingredient used in many dishes – have soared to as high as Tk 90 per kg in some of the capital’s kitchen markets, a Tk 25 increase from last week.

Consumers, who are already reeling from the impacts of increased commodity prices and high inflation, said the rise in onion prices would add to their woes, making life more miserable.

It is not only onion that consumers are struggling to afford as the prices of other essential items, including ginger, garlic, green chilli, and potato, have gone up as well. No vegetable is available below Tk 60 per kg, except for potato.

On Friday, retailers at Mohammadpur and Hatirpool kitchen markets blamed wholesalers for the increase in the prices of essential commodities, saying a few importers were controlling the market.

They said onion prices started increasing in the wholesale market after its imports were restricted and the upward trend was still there.

Besides, they said the wholesale prices of imported commodities were increasing, mentioning the appreciation of the dollar against the taka as an excuse.

The Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) said consumers in the capital were buying onion at a maximum of Tk 80 per kg, adding the price was Tk 65 a week ago.

Onion, garlic, ginger, and sugar prices are yet to decrease despite the government’s import announcement. In this situation, the commerce ministry on Wednesday sent a letter to the National Board of Revenue (NBR), requesting it to cut duty on sugar to keep prices under control.

It also sent a letter to the agriculture ministry on May 14, requesting it to give importers limited permission to bring in onion. It received no replies till Thursday.

Chain store Shwapno sold onion at Tk 83 per kg on Friday while online grocery market Chaldal sold it at Tk 79 per kg.

Vice-President of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) SM Najer Hossain said some unscrupulous traders had increased onion prices by taking advantage of the import ban.

He said consumers would suffer if prices do not come down. “Market monitoring should be strengthened, and action should be taken against unprincipled traders.”

The prices of other essentials also went up a lot. According to the TCB, imported ginger is being sold at Tk 400 per kg, up from Tk 360 a week ago, local ginger at Tk 340 per kg, and potato at Tk 36 per kg.

Shwapno on Friday sold ginger at Tk 280 per kg, garlic at Tk 180 per kg, and potato at Tk 38 per kg while Chaldal sold ginger at Tk 350 per kg and potato at Tk 39 per kg.

Sugar was sold at over Tk 135 per kg in different markets on Friday.

Even before the arrival of the monsoon, the price of all kinds of vegetables has gone up, adding to the misery of the common people already suffering from the increased prices of almost all essential commodities.

Now there are no vegetables in the kitchen markets of the capital below Tk 60 per kg, except potatoes and tomatoes. Most of the vegetables are selling at over Tk 70 per kg.

Visiting the various kitchen markets in Dhaka including Segunbagicha and Mohammadpur Krishi Market on Thursday, it was found that different vegetables including okra, sweet pumpkin, brinjal, and pointed gourd are selling for Tk 60-70 per kg while some others including gourd, snake bean, snake gourd, green banana, green papaya, and bitter gourd are selling for Tk 70-80 per kg.

Some vegetables including eddoe and carrot are sold at Tk 80-140 per kg while green chilli is selling for Tk 180-200 per kg which was Tk 160-180 a week ago.

The price of tomato is Tk 35-40 per kg and Tk 40-50 per kg on Thursday while cabbage and cauliflower were selling for Tk 50-60 per piece and malabar spinach for Tk 30-40 per kg.

Consumers at the kitchen markets said vegetable prices become slightly higher usually during the monsoon season, but this year, the prices have increased even before the arrival of the monsoon.

The sufferings of the common people are beyond description, the buyers said.

Md Alamgir, a vegetable buyer at Segunbagicha kitchen market, said, “The rate at which the prices of fish, meat, milk, and eggs increased has forced the people from lower income groups to increase vegetables in the diet as the nutritionists say that eating more vegetables increases immunity. But now, the prices of vegetables are also going out of reach, increasing the sufferings of the poor manifold.”

Meanwhile, the government fixed the rate of sugar at Tk 120 per kg two weeks ago, but its price is yet to come down. Loose sugar was sold for Tk 135-140 per kg in the market on Thursday. Although the commerce ministry announced monitoring the sugar market, it is yet to be materialised.

The prices of other essential commodities including edible oil, chickpea, and flour have not come down this week. Loose flour is sold at Tk 55-60 per kg, it was at Tk 55-58 per kg one week ago. Local red lentils are sold at Tk 130-140 per kg while loose soybean at Tk 185-190 per litre.

The government may allow the import of onions anytime soon, said Agriculture Secretary Wahida Akhter on May 14 after a meeting at the ministry.

The price of farm eggs increased by Tk 10 per dozen, selling at Tk 145-150 this week, it was at Tk 135-140 a week ago. The broiler chicken is now selling for Tk 220-230 per kg while the sonali variety chicken Tk 350-360 per kg this week.