Vegetable prices high in Chandpur markets despite ample supply

Prices of winter vegetables are still relatively high despite adequate supply at kitchen markets in Chandpur, adding to the woes of people with fixed incomes already overburdened with soaring prices of daily essentials.

Early winter vegetables are available at all the kitchen markets in the district but the exorbitant prices of vegetables make it difficult for low- or middle-income people to purchase them.

Visiting different kitchen markets including Palbazar, Natun Bazar, Puran Bazar, Biponibag Bazar and Wireless Bazar, in Chandpur district town, this Correspondent learnt that all kinds of winter vegetables are available at the markets.

Red spinach is being sold at Tk 30-35 per kg, radish at Tk 35-40 per kg, and okra is being sold at Tk 60 per kg. Besides, tomato is being sold at Tk 120-140 per kg while bitter gourd and beans are being sold at Tk 60 and Tk 80 per kg, respectively.

Small bottle gourds are Tk 40 per piece and larger ones are being sold at Tk 70-80 per piece. Cauliflower is being sold at Tk 40-50 per piece. Green chillies and coriander are being sold at Tk 80 per kg, cucumber at Tk 40 and four pieces of green banana are Tk 30-40.

Per kg of eggplant is being sold at Tk 60 at the local markets.

Daily wage earner Sumon Mia, worker Kabir Hossain, school teacher Ibrahim Khalil and private employees Farid Mir, Billal Hossain, and Yunus Khan – all at the market – claimed that the prices of winter vegetables are beyond the general consumers’ reach.

High prices of vegetables did not, however, benefit the farmers who are producing the vegetables. Prices of vegetables become higher at the customer level due to the exchange of hands, they said.

Mobarak Hossain, a senior officer of the Department of Agricultural Extension, Chandpur, said winter vegetable production has been affected due to the cyclonic storm Sitrang and the farmers have counted a loss of Tk 158.38 crore.