Despite imports of green chilli from India and mobile court drives in the commodity market, its price has increased again.
In the retail market, green chilli was being sold at Tk 450-480 per kg on Thursday while it was Tk 250-300 per kg two days back. In the wholesale market, green chilli was being sold at Tk 300-350 per kg while it was Tk 120-200 per kg two days ago.
Not only green chilli but also tomato, potato, bitter gourd, carrot and some other vegetables were selling at higher prices. On average, the prices of vegetables increased by Tk 10-30 per kg. Most of vegetables are now selling for over Tk 70 per kg in the retail market while it was Tk 60 per kg a week ago.
Earlier on June 25, the government allowed import of green chilli and tomato in a bid to rein in their prices. Besides, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) started conducting mobile court drives in the kitchen markets across the country since July 2 so that the price of green chilli cannot be increased. Despite all these steps, the authorities fail to rein in the prices of vegetables, including green chilli and tomato.
Tomato was being sold at Tk 250-280 per kg in the retail market on Thursday. It was Tk 150-200 per kg two weeks ago. Bitter gourd was being sold at Tk 80-100 per kg while it was Tk 70-80 per kg a week ago. Carrot was sold at Tk 120-150 per kg.
Most of vegetables, including eggplant, pointed gourd, okra and long bean were being sold at Tk 70-80 per kg on Thursday in the capital’s retail markets, including Rampura, and Segunbagicha.
This week potato price shot up by Tk 10 per kg to Tk 45-50. It was Tk 35-40 per kg one week ago.
Aminur Rahman, a retail vegetable seller in Maniknagar area, said the government should ensure adequate supply of vegetables in the market to bring down their prices. “But the supply is not increasing due to various reasons. If supply does not increase, the price cannot be reduced by operating mobile court in the market.”
He added: “If we buy at higher price from the wholesale market, we have to sell at higher price. No one will sell goods at loss.”
Mobile court
On Wednesday, drives were conducted in Dhaka metropolitan area including Karwan Bazar, Jatrabari and Jatrabari three-star vegetable market area to monitor the prices of green chilli.
Meanwhile, two wholesalers were fined Tk 100,000 for not displaying the price list, and not providing the cash memo of purchase and sale properly in Karwanbazar.
On Thursday, the DNCRP conducted a drive with the aim of monitoring the price of green chilli and sugar and stocks of daily essentials simultaneously in all divisions and districts of the country.
Drives were conducted in Karwan Bazar, Moghbazar, Malibagh and Segunbagicha Bazar area of Dhaka city.
This time 90 traders were fined Tk 605,500 in 38 drives across the country.
