Dhaka, June 12: The impact of the proposed national budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year has yet to be reflected in the country’s retail markets, where most essential commodities continue to be sold at elevated prices, according to a field visit to a kitchen market in Mirpur-1.
Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury on Thursday (June 11) placed a Tk938,000 crore national budget in Parliament for FY26–27, one of the largest in the country’s history. The proposed budget includes cuts in duties and taxes on various manufactured goods, reductions in taxes on raw materials, and fiscal incentives for businesses.
The minister also proposed lowering withholding tax on 60 essential commodities, including rice, wheat, potatoes, livestock, poultry, fish, onions, garlic, ginger, salt, sugar, edible oil, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper and coriander. The measures are expected to ease prices of daily necessities, although traders said the effects have not yet reached the market.
Vegetables remain expensive
Despite some post-Eid corrections, vegetable prices remain largely high, with only marginal declines in select items. Market rates range from Tk50 to Tk200 per kg.
Prices included local tomatoes Tk140–160 per kg, local carrots Tk100–120, Chinese carrots Tk160, long eggplant Tk80, white round eggplant Tk80, black round eggplant Tk80, drumstick Tk180–200, local cucumber Tk100–120, bitter gourd Tk80, snake gourd Tk100, teasel gourd Tk70–80, okra Tk70, hybrid pointed gourd Tk60–70, local pointed gourd Tk100, sponge gourd Tk70–80, ribbed gourd Tk60–70, ridge gourd Tk70–80, yardlong beans Tk100, taro stem Tk60–80, radish Tk70, taro root Tk100, green chilli Tk120, coriander leaves Tk200 (quality-based), hybrid cucumber Tk60, papaya Tk50–60, and sweet pumpkin Tk50.
Bottle gourd was selling at Tk70–120 per piece depending on quality, ash gourd Tk60, cauliflower Tk80, cabbage Tk70, while green bananas were Tk60 per four pieces. Lemon prices stood at Tk30–40 per four pieces.
Of the 32 vegetables tracked, 21 items were priced at Tk80 or above, while the rest ranged between Tk40 and Tk80.
Vegetable seller Shah Alam said prices have declined slightly, but the budget has had no impact on the market.
“This is a perishable product. There is no scope to store it and push up prices. Items that can be stored may see fluctuations,” said another seller, Md Anwar.
Stable prices for potato, onion, garlic, ginger
Prices of potatoes, onions, garlic and ginger remained relatively stable and within consumer reach.
Cross-breed onions were selling at Tk40 per kg and local onions at Tk45 per kg. Red and white potatoes were Tk25 per kg, Bogura potatoes Tk40, local garlic Tk90–100, Chinese garlic Tk130–140, and Indian ginger Tk160 per kg.
Chicken expensive, eggs unchanged
Broiler chicken remained the only category showing comparatively lower prices, while other chicken varieties stayed high following Eid price hikes. Egg prices remained largely unchanged.
Broiler chicken was Tk150–163 per kg, cock chicken Tk330–345, layer chicken Tk370, and local chicken Tk650 per kg. Beef was Tk800 per kg and mutton Tk1,250 per kg. Red eggs were Tk120 per dozen, white eggs Tk105–110, and duck eggs Tk150 per dozen.
Md Sultan of Brahmanbaria Chicken House said the budget had not yet influenced the poultry market. “It may have an impact later,” he said.
An egg wholesaler, Anwar, said no budget-related changes had reached the market yet. “When other commodity prices rise, egg prices will automatically follow,” he said.
Samiul Islam of Sahid Egg House said egg prices are demand-driven and not directly linked to the budget.
Fish prices remain high
Fish prices, depending on size and variety, included hilsa Tk1800–3500 per kg, rohu Tk400–700, catla Tk400–650, kalibaus Tk500–800, shrimp Tk1000–1700, kachki Tk500, koi Tk260, pabda Tk400–600, bata Tk1400–1500, kajoli Tk1800–2000, shing Tk400–1200, tengra Tk600–700, bele Tk1000–1200, and boal Tk500–1000 per kg.
Grocery items unchanged
Although the budget removed regulatory duties on salt, sugar, edible oil, and several spices including cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper and coriander, prices have yet to adjust in the market.
Packaged polao rice was Tk190 per kg, loose polao rice Tk160, small lentils Tk150, coarse lentils Tk90, large mung dal Tk140, small mung dal Tk170, khesari dal Tk100, chickpeas Tk110, chola Tk80–95, and masoor kalai Tk160 per kg.
Soybean oil was Tk198 per litre (bottled) and Tk190 (loose), ghee Tk1420–1550 per kg (canned) and Tk1400 (loose), packaged sugar Tk110 per kg and loose sugar Tk105, flour Tk145 per 2-kg pack, atta Tk130 per 2-kg pack, and mustard oil Tk220 per litre.
Spices remained expensive, with cardamom Tk5200 per kg, cinnamon Tk560, cloves Tk1450, white pepper Tk1350, black pepper Tk1280, cashew nuts Tk1550, and almonds Tk1380 per kg.
Nayan Majhi of New Sonia General Store said the market was yet to absorb the budget’s impact. “We have heard some spice prices have decreased, but we will only know after new stock arrives,” he said.
