The general public is suffering due to price hikes as almost all vegetables, along with fish, meat and eggs, have become costlier rises in kitchen markets. The most affordable vegetable is also priced in Dhaka markets at Tk40, forcing people to make changes in their eating habits.
Consumers said all items are getting out of their reach, which is making them reconsider their household budgets.
At a kitchen market in Mirpur 1 in Dhaka, nearly all vegetables were being sold at high prices on Friday.
Eggplants were being sold at Tk100, round eggplants at Tk120, cucumber at Tk60-80, bitter melon at Tk100, pointed gourd at Tk Tk60-80, papaya at Tk40, spiny gourd at Tk80, carrots at Tk150-180, radish at Tk60, tomatoes at Tk120, pumpkin at Tk40-60, okra at Tk80, snake gourd at Tk60, sponge gourd at Tk80, yardlong bean at Tk100, green chilli at Tk200, coriander leaves at Tk200, gourd at Tk80 and wax gourds at Tk70-80 per piece.
Green papaya – the cheapest item there – is being sold at Tk40 per kg.
Apart from this, the local variety of onion is being sold at Tk90, cross variety at Tk85, Indian onion at Tk60, local ginger at Tk220, Indonesian ginger at Tk260, Chinese garlic at Tk240, local garlic at Tk240 and potato at Tk40 per kg.
The prices of the cross variety of onion and Indian onion increased by Tk5 compared to last week. The price of local and Indonesian ginger increased by Tk20 and Tk40, respectively, while the price of Chinese garlic increased by Tk10.
Md Kabir Hossain, a customer, said: "The price of everything in this market is high. Middle-class people like us have to recalculate their household expenses. I can not imagine how those with lower incomes than us are doing."
Another customer said: "We had to cut down on our food expenses. In the past, I could afford to eat meat for 10 days a month, but now I can only do it for five days. That is how much I have cut the expenses."
Besides, ilish was being sold at Tk1,500-2,000, rui at Tk400-500, catla at Tk500-600, shrimp at Tk1,000-1,600, batasio at Tk700, koi at Tk500, butterfish at Tk600 and helicopter catfish at Tk650-750.
In the market, broilers were priced at Tk167-180 per kg, “cock chicken” at Tk290-300, local chicken at Tk550 and beef at Tk750-800 per kg. Chicken eggs were being sold at Tk150 and white eggs at Tk 140 per dozen.
Farid Uddin, another customer, said: "The current situation is such that I can not decide between buying fish or meat, as both are expensive. I used to consider switching to fish if meat prices were high, but now even that is not even an option."
Apart from this, the price of grocery store products today is the same as before.
