Md Abdullah Al Masum
The prices of edible oil at different markets on Wednesday in the capital were steady compared to the previous two weeks but the vegetables were cheaper.
Retailers were selling one-litre edible oil of Rupchanda brand at Tk 139 and a two-litre bottle at Tk 275 and the price of a five-litre bottle ranges between Tk 660 and Tk 685.
While one litre bottle of Fresh, Pusti and other brands including Bashundhara was selling by at Tk 139.
Shakil Uddin, a retailer at Farmgate Kitchen Market, said, his sale declined in the last month due to Covid-19. So, he was selling all the goods at low profit including Fresh soybean oil.
“When fellow traders are selling at Tk 139/ litre but I am selling at Tk 135 just to make up for the loss in such pandemic period,” Shakil Uddin added.
Sanjoy Majumdar, a retailer at Nabisco in the capital, was found selling loose oil businessman and he collects the loose oil from Krishi Market and Moulvi Bazar. He used to sell loose soybean oil at Tk 133 for one litre but now he is selling at a lower price at Tk 123 instead of Tk 133.
“He used to sell in total Tk 30,000 per day before lockdown but now the bulk is halved from the regular sale due to pandemic,” Sanjoy Majumdar added.
On the other hand, Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) is selling one litre of edible oil at the government-fixed rate of Tk 100 per litre and for five litres at Tk 500.
However, the prices of cucumber, aubergine and tomato, which are highly consumed in Ramadan, are now declining.
Cucumber was selling at Tk 40-45 instead of Tk 60 and tomato was selling at Tk 20-30 instead of Tk 40 in the morning on Wednesday.
Md. Kuddus, a retailer at Samity Bazar in Mohakhali, said tomato and cucumber prices are declining because of adequate supply.
Jalal Uddin Babu, a shopkeeper at Karwan Bazar, he was selling potatoes for Tk 20/Kg instead of Tk 25.
“The price of potato is lower by Tk 5 from last week because it’s demands low and supply abundant,” he said.
Other vegetables such as snake gourd were selling at Tk 60, brinjal at Tk 70 instead of Tk 80, the carrot at Tk 30-40, radish at Tk 30, bottle gourd at Tk 30-35, bean at Tk 60 and bitter gourd at Tk 40-50.
Besides, onion was being sold at Tk 35-40 while garlic between Tk 60-90.
Supermarket Shwapno at Mohakhali was selling cucumber at Tk 48, tomato at Tk 35, Palwal at Tk 42, snake gourd at Tk 70, bitter gourd at Tk 60 and carrot at Tk 35.
Mainuddin, a street vendor, said he has been buying vegetables from Karwan Bazar for five years to sell in the vicinity of Tibet area.
“I sell green chillies at Tk 40 a kg whereas the price was at Tk 60 before Ramadan,” he said adding that he did not face such kinds of loss due to Covid-19.
