The prices of daily essentials have remained unchecked for over two months, with nearly all items selling at soaring rates, except for a few. In this scenario, the price of all varieties of onions has suddenly surged, which sellers attribute to reduced stock. Most onions were still selling for over Tk80 per kg.
A visit to the Mirpur-1 kitchen market in the capital on Friday revealed the current state of the market.
Vegetable prices still out of reach
Even after more than two months, vegetable prices remain beyond the reach of ordinary consumers, with most items still priced above Tk80 per kg. Sellers claim prices have dropped, but buyers disagree, saying vegetables remain expensive.
Yesterday, Indian tomatoes were selling for Tk120 per kg, local tomatoes Tk120–Tk140/kg, local carrots Tk80/kg, Chinese carrots Tk150–Tk160/kg, long aubergines Tk80/kg, white round aubergines Tk80–Tk100/kg, black round aubergines Tk120/kg, beans Tk80–Tk100/kg, local cucumbers Tk80–Tk100/kg, bitter gourds Tk80/kg, teasel gourds Tk160/kg, okra Tk80–Tk100/kg, hybrid pointed gourds Tk80/kg, local pointed gourds Tk120/kg, ivy gourd Tk60/kg, sponge gourd Tk80/kg, ridge gourd Tk80–Tk100/kg, snake gourd Tk80–Tk100/kg, taro stem Tk80/kg, radish Tk60/kg, arrowroot Tk60–Tk80/kg, green chillies Tk120–Tk160/kg, coriander leaves (depending on quality) Tk200–Tk300/kg, hybrid cucumber Tk60/kg, papaya Tk30–Tk40/kg, and sweet pumpkin Tk50 each.
Bottle gourd was priced at Tk60–Tk120/kg depending on size, cushaw Tk60/kg, cauliflower Tk60/kg, cabbage Tk60/kg. A bunch of green bananas cost Tk40, and a set of four lemons Tk40–Tk50.
Vegetable vendor Shah Alam said prices have dropped slightly. “Winter is approaching, so prices may fall further soon,” he added.
Customer Saiful Haque, however, said: “Shopkeepers claim prices have fallen, but they are still high. A small cauliflower costs Tk60, and most other vegetables are over Tk80/kg. Only papaya and pumpkin are cheaper. How can this be called a price drop? How are ordinary people supposed to manage?”
Onion prices cross Tk100/kg mark
While vegetable prices remain high, the price of all types of onions has suddenly shot up. Both imported and local onions are selling for Tk110–Tk120/kg. Meanwhile, the price of Chinese garlic has also quietly increased.
Imported onions, depending on size, are selling for Tk110–Tk120/kg — smaller ones at Tk110 and larger ones at Tk120. Local onions are priced at Tk120/kg, red potatoes Tk25/kg, white potatoes Tk25/kg, Bogra potatoes Tk30/kg, local garlic Tk80–Tk110/kg, Chinese garlic Tk160–Tk180/kg, Chinese ginger Tk180–Tk200/kg, and Indian ginger Tk160/kg.
This reflects a rise of Tk35–Tk40/kg for onions, Tk20–Tk40/kg for Chinese garlic, and Tk10/kg for local garlic. Other commodity prices remain unchanged.
Vendor Yusuf said onion prices have increased because the season is nearly over and stocks are running low. “Prices should fall again once new onions arrive,” he added.
A buyer at the market commented: “Now onions have joined the list of overpriced essentials. Who knows how long this will last or how high prices will go? We have seen onions sell for Tk250/kg before — only Allah knows what’s next!”
Chicken and meat prices also high
Sellers said chicken prices usually fall in winter, but for now, they remain somewhat elevated, except for cock chickens, which have dropped slightly.
Beef is selling for Tk780/kg, mutton Tk1200/kg, broiler chicken Tk170–Tk180/kg, cock chicken Tk263–Tk290/kg, layer chicken Tk293–Tk300/kg, and local chicken Tk550/kg. A dozen red eggs cost Tk120, white eggs Tk110–Tk115, and duck eggs Tk180–Tk190.
Broiler and layer chicken prices are nearly the same, with cock chicken dropping by about Tk10. Egg prices have fallen by Tk10 per dozen, while other meat prices remain unchanged.
A seller at Munshiganj Chicken House said: “Compared to last week, cock chicken prices have fallen today. Broiler and layer prices are stable. Normally, prices go down in winter, but it is too early to say this time.”
Fish prices
Depending on size and weight, ilish sells for Tk900–Tk2900/kg, rui Tk400–Tk650/kg, katla Tk400–Tk600/kg, kalibaush Tk400–Tk800/kg, prawns Tk800–Tk1400/kg, small fish (katchki) Tk400–Tk500/kg, koi Tk250–Tk1200/kg, pabda Tk400–Tk600/kg, shing Tk400–Tk1200/kg, tengra Tk600–Tk1000/kg, bele Tk1000–Tk1200/kg, meni Tk700–Tk800/kg, boal Tk500–Tk900/kg, and rupchanda Tk1200–Tk1400/kg.
Grocery prices stable
As in previous weeks, prices of grocery items remain mostly unchanged, except for lentils and sugar, which have slightly decreased — lentils by Tk15/kg and loose sugar by Tk5/kg.
Yesterday, packaged polao rice was Tk155/kg, loose polao rice Tk90–Tk130/kg, small red lentils Tk155/kg, coarse red lentils Tk90/kg, large mung beans Tk140/kg, small mung beans Tk170/kg, khesari dal Tk100/kg, black-eyed beans Tk115/kg, chickpeas Tk110/kg, mashkalai beans Tk180/kg. Bottled soybean oil Tk198/litre, loose soybean oil Tk172/litre, canned ghee Tk1450–Tk1550/kg, loose ghee Tk1250/kg, packet sugar Tk110/kg, loose sugar Tk95/kg, 2-kg packet of refined flour (Maida) Tk130, 2-kg packet of wheat flour (Atta) Tk130, and loose mustard oil Tk220/litre.
Spices were priced as follows: cardamom Tk4750/kg, cinnamon Tk500/kg, cloves Tk1280/kg, white pepper Tk1350/kg, and black pepper Tk1180/kg.
