Prices of essential commodities including rice, vegetables, poultry and edible oil have surged sharply in Khulna’s kitchen markets, putting pressure on low- and middle-income people.
Despite adequate supply, key items such as green chillies, onions, garlic, broiler chickens and bottled soybean oil have surged over the past few weeks, said consumers.
Although traders linked the rise in vegetable and green chilli prices to recent heavy rainfall disrupting supply and transport, consumers expressed frustration, saying prices remain “unreasonably high” despite visible supply in the markets.
During visits to several kitchen markets on Friday, the UNB correspondent found that eggplants were selling at Tk100 per kg, potatoes at Tk20–25, green chillies at Tk200, local onions at Tk75–80, local garlic at Tk100–120 and imported Chinese garlic at Tk200 per kg.
Other vegetables, including ridge gourd, pumpkin, pointed gourd, sponge gourd, lady’s finger and string beans, were selling at Tk60 per kg, while bitter gourd was at Tk80 and papaya at Tk30.
Just two months ago, on June 20, the same items were priced much lower — eggplants at Tk60, green chillies at Tk80, onions at Tk50–55 and local garlic at Tk80–100 per kg.
The rice market also remains volatile as prices of all varities are rising steadily.
Swarna variety is now selling at Tk55–60 per kg, 28 Balam at Tk60–65, premium Miniket at Tk75–80, lower-quality Miniket at Tk70–75, Basmati at Tk80–85 and Kalijira at Tk110.
On June 20, Swarna was sold at Tk52–54, Balam at Tk60–62, Miniket (premium) at Tk72–74, Basmati at Tk75–76 and Kalijira at Tk100 per kg.
Bottled soybean oil prices have also increased as 5-litre container of Fresh, Teer or Bashundhara is now selling at Tk915 (Tk183 per litre), up from Tk875 (Tk175 per litre) two months ago.
Lentil prices remain high and fine varieties are selling at Tk150 per kg, up from Tk140 a week earlier. Coarser lentils are selling at Tk100 per kg.
Broiler chicken is being sold at Tk160 per kg, cock chicken at Tk280–300 and Sonali chicken at Tk300. White layer eggs are priced at Tk40–44 per dozen and brown eggs at Tk48.
“All vegetable prices have gone up. Despite sufficient supply, nothing is below Tk60. Brinjal is Tk100 and green chillies Tk200 — it’s unreasonable,” said Shafiul Islam, a shopper at KCC Sandhya Bazar in Moylapota.
He urged stricter monitoring to curb market manipulation.
Haidar Ali, a madrasha teacher, said: “Every essential — rice, lentils, oil, vegetables — is getting costlier day by day. We urge the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection to intervene and contain this spiral.”
