Fish, chicken toe pricey vegetables

Prices of almost all types of vegetables have been skyrocketing over the last few months. Now, fish and chicken have been the latest additions to the list, catching off-guard the coronavirus-hit middle and lower-middle-class people.

Prices of all kinds of fish have gone up in a week. Although the price of beef and mutton remained unchanged but that of chicken increased by 10 taka per kg.

Buyers complained that prices of all other fishes have increased due to the hike in the price of hilsa fish. Sellers said that the prices are a little bit higher in winter as other fishes including hilsa are not netted in huge amount from the rivers.

The above-mentioned market prices were obtained by visiting various kitchen markets in the capital on Friday (November 13).

Following the lifting of the ban, the supply of hilsa started again in the market but the price is much higher than before. Besides hilsa, prices of all kinds of fishes have also gone up when they usually come down this time every year. In these markets, prices of different fishes have increased from 30 taka to 50 taka per kg.

Zillur Rahman, a fishmonger in Rayer Bazar, told The Business Post that other fishes including hilsa are rarely caught in rivers or canals in winter. As a result, prices of fishes including hilsa go up.

Meanwhile, prices of beef and mutton have remained unchanged. Mutton is being sold between 780-800 taka per kg and beef between 500-550 taka per kg. On the other hand, the price of chicken increased by 10 taka per kg. Now, price of per kg broiler chicken varies between 145-150 taka, golden chicken 250-270 taka, domestic chicken 550-600 taka and price of per kg layer chicken stands at 250 taka.

All kinds of vegetables are being sold at higher prices in the market as before. At present, per piece cabbage is being sold between 30-40 taka, cauliflower 40-50 taka, pumpkin 50-60 taka and per dozen raw bananas at 120 taka. Per kg balsam apple is being sold between 60-70 taka, snake gourd 60-70 taka, ridge gourd 60-70 taka, pointed gourd 60-70 taka and sweet bitter gourd at 70 taka.

Besides, per kg of asparagus bean is being sold between 70-80 taka, beans 80-90 taka, carrots 90-100 taka, eggplant 80-100 taka, sweet pumpkin 35-40 taka and papaya at 40 taka. At present, the price of per kg cucumber varies between 50-60 taka, tomato 100-120 taka and green chilli 140-160 taka per kg.

Meanwhile, domestic onion is being sold between 85 to 90 taka per kg. Egyptian onion and Chinese onion are being sold between 70 taka to 75 taka and 60 taka to 65 taka per kg respectively. The local variety of garlic is being sold between 110 taka to 120 taka per kg and Chinese garlic is being sold between 100 taka to 110 taka per kg. Price of ginger from Kerala stands at 120 taka and that of Chinese ginger varies between 240 taka to 280 taka per kg.

Prices of rice, pulses, oil, chicken and meat remain unchanged. At present, open soybean is being sold from 98 taka to 100 taka per litre. Per kg pulses (dubli and anchor) are being sold at 50 taka, lentil pulses are being sold between 90-120 taka and sugar 62-65 taka per kg.

Rice is being sold at the previous higher price. Per kg of atap rice is being sold between 52-53 taka, miniket 58-60 taka, cumin miniket 57-58 taka, nazirshail 55-60 taka and paijam at 50 taka. However, polao rice (open) is being sold at 90 taka per kg which is 5 taka lesser than before.

sr/wi