Ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, the prices of beef, chicken and fish are seeing an upward trend while prices of rice, edible oil, sugar, wheat and flour are stable at the kitchen markets of Dhaka.
The prices of vegetables, onions and fruits, including seasonal watermelon and pineapple and imported ones, fell slightly due to decreased demand as holidaymakers are leaving the capital.
During visits to different kitchen markets including Karwan Bazar, Mohakhali, Malibagh, and Hatirpool, the UNB correspondent observed that prices of beef, chicken and fish increased slightly.
Wholesalers and retailers of these items said that the prices of meat items and chicken increased ahead of Eid due to the rise of demand for a certain time, while fish prices were up as the supply of fish reduced in the market.
Abu Bakar, a butcher of Karwan Bazar, told UNB that the beef was selling for Tk 750 per kg and mutton Tk 1,000-1,100 per kg.
He said the officials from the city corporation and the Ministry of Commerce visit the Karwan Bazar kitchen market regularly, so there is no scope to increase prices suddenly.
But the profit margin of meat traders has decreased as the supply of cattle has reduced slightly than last Eid, he pointed out.
However, outside Karwan Bazar, beef was selling for between Tk 750 and Tk 800 per kg on Friday based on quality, and saw a rise of price by Tk 30 per kg than other days of the week. Mutton was selling at Tk 1,000-1,180 per kg based on quality, which saw an increase of Tk 50 per kg.
The price of broiler chicken has also increased. On Friday, it was selling at Tk 240-260 per kg, which was selling between Tk 220 last week. Apart from this, the price of Sonali chicken has also increased and is now being sold at Tk 350-380 per kg.
Similarly, cock chicken is being sold at Tk 370-390 per kg, layer chicken at Tk 300-380 per kg, and indigenous (desi) chicken at Tk 650-700 per kg.
The traders of the concerned sectors said that prices of chicken increased due to price hikes of chicken food and broiler chicks.
Meanwhile, the prices of almost all vegetables decreased on Friday as demand fell but prices of new vegetables like okra, drumsticks, string beans and bitter gourd were stable between Tk 60 and Tk 140 per kg.
The prices of tomatoes have increased as the season is ending. Good quality tomatoes were selling at Tk 60-70 per kg.
Vegetables like brinjal and others were selling at Tk 30-50 per kg, bottle gourd, ash gourd and cauliflower at Tk 40-60 per piece.
Onion is selling at Tk 30-60 per kg, garlic at Tk 180-250, and ginger at Tk 200-280 per kg based on quality.
Egg prices also decreased slightly, with per dozen brown eggs selling for Tk 130, four pieces of duck eggs at Tk 70, and four pieces of homestead hen eggs selling for Tk 80.
The prices of watermelon fell drastically as well. Premium quality watermelon was being sold at Tk 40 per kg on Friday, while pineapple was being sold at Tk 20-35 per piece based on size and quality.
Guava was going for Tk 50-70 per kg and papaya (ripe) for Tk 100-140 per kg, which was sold at Tk 200 and above in the first week of this Ramadan.
Apple, Malta, orange and Nashi pear were being sold between Tk 260 and Tk 340 per kg, which was sold at Tk 360-370 per kg in the first two weeks of this Ramadan.
The prices of other kitchen items remained unchanged this week.
