The prices of green chilli has shot up to more than Tk200 in the capital’s kitchen markets with floods damaging crop fields in many districts leading to supply crunch.
Vendors in the capital said the prices of each kilogram of green chili increased to Tk220 from Tk60-80 last week because of supply shortage. They said prices of different vegetables also increased in recent days.
Meanwhile, the price of broiler chickens came down by Tk20 from Tk150 per kg.
According to official figures, more than 8,000 hectares of chilli fields have been damaged by flood so far. Bangladesh produces around 0.14 million tons of green chilli a year.
Shahriar Alam, a resident of Bangshal of Old Dhaka, said he bought a kg of green chilli for Tk220 last week which was Tk60-80 two weeks ago.
“A kg tomato cost Tk130 which was Tk50-60 a couple of weeks ago. Prices of most vegetables increased in the kitchen market due to supply shortage,” he said.
Abu Bakar Siddique, vegetable trader of Najirabazar of Old Dhaka, said he sold each kg green chilli at Tk200-Tk220, tomato at Tk120-130, papaya at Tk60, bitter gourd at Tk80, lemon (four pieces) at Tk20-32, and eggplant and pointed gourd (potol) at Tk50-60 on Monday.
“Several items at the kitchen market somewhat went up in the last couple of days. We have nothing to do if the price increases in the wholesale market. We sell these in some profit,” he also said.
‘Survival is tough’
Zillur Rahman, a shopkeeper of the area, said they were selling each kg of local onion at Tk40-50 and imported one at Tk30, garlic at Tk80-100, and ginger at Tk140-150.
“However, we are selling each kg cardamom at Tk3,200, cinnamon at Tk500, and cloves at Tk1,200 which somewhat increased with the second largest festival religious festival incoming,” he said.
He said there is a good demand for the spices during Eid, so their prices may go up in the coming days before the second largest religious festival of Muslims in Bangladesh.
Abdus Sobhan Talukder, a vegetable wholesaler at Kawran Bazar, said floods have affected vegetable production.
“We’re struggling because of Covid-19, and the flood is another curse. Our business is on the wane. It’s very tough to survive now,” he said.
Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said the government took different initiatives to reduce the Tk349 crore damage caused by the flood.
“Flood-hit and small farmers will also get free saplings of Aman to plant through rice transplanter at a cost of Tk54 lakh. Around 50,000 farmers will be provided with fertilizer and seeds of mashkalai worth Tk3.82 crore if they fail to produce Aman in flood-hit areas,” he said.
The minister said in the first phase, floods from June 25 to July 8 affected approximately 76,310 hectares of paddy fields and 344,000 farmers in 14 districts.
In the second phase, from July 11 to July 19, around 83,000 hectares of paddy fields in 26 districts, including the previous 14 districts, were damaged.
