After a week of suffering due to the exponentially high price of green chilli in the country’s retail and wholesale markets, it has started to come down as the import of the vegetable began through various land ports.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), so far over 100 tonnes of green chilli have been imported from India through various land ports of the country including Bhomra after import permits (IP) were granted on June 25.
In Dhaka, green chilli was sold for Tk 500-550 per kilogram (kg) at various retail markets on Sunday, whereas it was Tk 600-650 a day before. Meanwhile, green chilli was sold for Tk 380-400 per kg in wholesale markets on Sunday, whereas it was Tk 480-500 per kg a day before.
A week prior, the price of green chilli had soared to a record high of Tk 600 per kg in Dhaka city as both wholesalers and retailers hiked its price amid the growing demand following supply shortage, low production and import suspension due to the Eid-ul-Azha holidays.
Rampura kitchen market’s retail vegetable seller Md Ratul Ahmed said, “I bought green chillies at Tk 380 per kg from the wholesale market on Sunday, which was Tk 480 on Saturday. Now I am selling it for Tk 500 per kg.”
He added that some traders hiked the prices through syndicates taking advantage of the lack of import. The prices are coming down as import begins.
In the wake of surging prices, MoA permitted the import of 11,160 tonnes of green chilli against 30 IPs on June 25. So far the import of a total of 36,830 tonnes of green chilli has been permitted, said a press release of the ministry on Sunday.
After a five-day Eid vacation, trade activities between India and Bangladesh resumed through Satkhira’s Bhomra Land Port on Sunday with the arrival of 60 tonnes of green chilli.
Abdur Rahim, general secretary of Satkhira Kitchen Market Traders Association, said green chilli is being sold at Tk 400-450 per kg in wholesale markets while it is being sold at Tk 600 in retail markets.
“Already the price of green chilli has started to come down and it will be sold at Tk 50-60 per kg within two days,” he added.
According to our local correspondent, the prices of green chillies have started to come down in Bogura’s Mahasthan Hat, a popular wholesale vegetable market.
On Saturday, green chilli was sold for a wholesale rate of Tk 500 per kg at the market and a retail price of Tk 600-700 in kitchen markets of Bogura.
Within a day, the price decreased by half to Tk 250 on Sunday in the wholesale market.
Meanwhile, five trucks carrying 34 tonnes of green chilli from India entered through Benapole Land Port Sunday evening.
Six import farms of Dinajpur’s Hili Land Port received IPs for 27,500 tonnes of green chilli. About 27 tonnes of green chilli was imported through the port on June 26 before the holiday began.
