Prices of vegetables, chicken keep rising

Prices of essentials including vegetables and chicken continued to soar notably in the capital’s kitchen markets over the last week due to supply shortage against the increased demand, triggering further woes for commoners.

During a visit to several kitchen markets in the capital on Friday, it was found that the price of broiler chicken, cock or sonali chicken, eggs and vegetables went up as compared to last week’s. Most of the vegetables were being sold for over Tk. 50.

Buyers put the blame on the government’s lax monitoring system, which has failed to keep prices under control.

Broiler chicken was sold for Tk. 155-Tk 160 per kg, compared to Tk. 150-Tk. 155 in the last week in various kitchen markets in Dhaka. The price of cock or sonali chicken was sold for Tk. 295-Tk. 300 per kg, compared to Tk. 275-Tk. 280 during the last week.

Sagor Rahman, a chicken seller at Mirpur-1 kitchen market said, “With the withdrawal of the lockdowns, all kinds of festivals, celebrations including wedding ceremonies have increased significantly. That’s why the demand for chicken has gone up against the supply shortage right now.”

Alamin Hossain, a customer said, “The price of all necessary items is going up almost every day. Now it is very difficult for us to maintain our own family with my low income.”

The prices of vegetables have also gone up this week in the kitchen market.

Pointed gourd, eggplant, okra, teasel gourd, snake gourd and other vegetables are selling above Tk. 45-Tk. 65 per kg while Aubergine was sold for Tk. 50-Tk. 60 per kg, bitter gourd was sold for Tk. 45-Tk. 60 per kg and bottle gourd for Tk. 45-Tk. 55 per piece, green papaya was sold for Tk 25-Tk. 30 per kg and green bananas (four pieces) were sold at Tk. 25-Tk. 30.

The price of broiler eggs also continued to increase during the last couple of the weeks. Each dozen eggs are now being sold at Tk. 110-Tk. 120 this week as well.

While talking with the Business Post, Md Zakir Hossain, owner of M/S Beauty Store at Karwan Bazar said, “The prices of eggs and other essentials are being increased in the market due to the supply shortage against the growing demand.”

“The packed sugar is now being sold at Tk. 85 per kg while unpacked sugar is being sold at Tk. 80 per kg in our market.”

Earlier on September 9, the government had fixed new prices for unpacked and packed sugar for the first time. The maximum retail price of per kg unpacked sugar was fixed at Tk. 74, down from Tk. 80 while the price of packed sugar was set at Tk. 75 from Tk. 85.

However, the prices of most of the fishes except hilsa still remained stable in the city’s kitchen market over the week.

A medium and big size hilsa were being sold at Tk. 950-1,400 per kg while small ones at Tk. 650-Tk. 700 per kg at the retail fish markets in the city.

The prices of hilsa still remained beyond the reach for commoners as the government has already decided to send a total of 4,800 tons of hilsa to India ahead of the Durga Puja.

The government on Thursday allowed export of more 2,280 tons of hilsa to India on the occasion of the largest religious festival for the Hindus.

On that day, the Ministry of Commerce gave permission to 63 trading firms to export the fish to India while each of the firms would be able to export 40 tons of hilsa.

“Each of the firms is allowed to export 40 tons,” said a notification issued by the government.

Earlier on September 20, the government had also allowed 52 trading companies to export 2,520 tons of hilsa to India on the same occasion.

Similarly, the Ministry of Commerce allowed each company to export a maximum of 40 tons of hilsa to India while the export permission of hilsa will remain effective till October 10.