Rice prices fall, vegetables remain expensive

Despite the availability of winter vegetables in the market, the prices of several items, including vegetables and chicken, have increased in the space of a week. 

However, the price of rice has gone down slightly. 

On Friday, while visiting several city kitchen markets, buyers expressed fear that daily essentials will become unaffordable in the upcoming Ramadan if measures are not taken to control prices from now. 

The price of rice in the kitchen markets of the capital has decreased slightly during this week. Atash, Nazirshail and Aman rice prices have decreased by Tk3-Tk4 per kg. 

However, according to vendors, the rice used for cooking “polao” has increased by up to Tk15 per kg due to low supply.

Prices of different varieties of vegetables have remained mostly high in the kitchen markets. Flat beans and tomato are being sold at Tk50-Tk60 per kg, water pumpkin at Tk50-Tk65 each, bottle gourd at Tk80-Tk100 (depending on size),  cabbage and cauliflower at Tk40-Tk50 each and pumpkin at Tk40-Tk50 per kg.

Besides, bitter gourd is being sold at Tk120 per kg, stolon of taro at Tk80, long bean at Tk100, sponge gourd at Tk60-Tk70, cucumber at Tk50-Tk60, long and round eggplants at Tk50-Tk70, snake gourd at Tk60-Tk65, pointed gourd at Tk60-Tk70, ladies finger at Tk55-Tk60, papaya at Tk30-Tk40, green banana at Tk20-Tk30 per hali (4 pieces) and lemon Tk20 per hali. 

The price of green chilies has also increased by Tk20-Tk30 per kg this week. Green chilies are being sold at Tk120-Tk130 on Friday compared to Tk80-Tk100 last week. 

Onion is being sold at Tk40-Tk45 per kg, garlic at Tk120-Tk150, ginger at Tk120-Tk150, China ginger at Tk230-Tk240, loose sugar at Tk115-Tk 120, loose flour at Tk60 and packet flour at Tk65 per kg.

Lentils (moshur dal) are being sold at Tk140 per kg while Indian lentils at Tk120-Tk125, salt at Tk38-Tk40 and soybean oil are being sold at Tk187 per litre. 

The price of chicken has increased by Tk30-Tk40 in a week. Broiler chicken price has increased from Tk170 to Tk180. Sonali chicken is being sold at Tk300-Tk310 and layer chicken at Tk250-Tk260. 

The price of egg has also increased from Tk5 to Tk7. Broiler eggs are being sold at Tk130-Tk132, duck eggs at Tk210-Tk220 and local chicken eggs at Tk180-Tk190. 

Demanding regular market supervision to control product prices, a buyer said: “The prices of daily necessities are constantly increasing. Ramadan is coming. Daily necessities will be beyond the reach of common men in the future if no measures are taken to control the prices from now.”