Prices of all fishes in kitchen markets in the capital registered a rise by 10-15% on an average while meat prices fell slightly over the past week.
During a visit to several kitchen markets including Karwan Bazar, Malibag, Palashi, New Market and Hatirpool on Saturday, Dhaka Tribune has found supply shortage of river fishes which the traders attributed to increased fish prices.
On the other hand, beef price, that had jumped beyond what the city corporations had fixed, decreased a bit amid strict market monitoring by government agencies in the last two days.
Besides, prices of some grocery items including onion, garlic, lentils, ginger and potato increased by Tk10-20 yesterday compared to previous week, while sugar, chickpea, vegetables, eggs and poultry prices decreased by TK5-15 on an average.
Talking to this correspondent, traders mentioned that sales decreased compared to the week just before the month of Ramadan but the prices of some essentials showed ups and downs for imbalanced in supply and demand.
Mona Mia, a Palashi-based fish trader, said the demand of fishes increased in the fasting month Ramadan but the supply decreased as fishing season in rivers was towards the end.
“We have to depend only on cultivated fishes now, which has increased the prices,” he explained, hinting that the price might fall after two months, with fishing in rivers beginning in full swing.
Sirajul Islam, a Rajarbag-based trader, said beef price shoot up before Ramadan and hit the highest Tk600, exceeding Tk525 set by the city corporations ahead of Ramadan.
“Some unscrupulous traders sold beef at rates beyond what the city corporations had set,” he said, claiming that now all were selling at the fixed price.
Monitoring teams from the city corporations and the consumers directorate (Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protections) were visiting markets every day and checking the price, he mentioned.
The government had promised to check price hike of all the essential commodities during Ramadan but prices of essential commodities, especially some grocery items, were on the rise.
Experts believe that people’s rush for buying essential products altogether for the month of Ramadan puts pressure on the market, and a group of unscrupulous traders take advantage of the high demand.
Price of the commodities
On Saturday, Tilapia fish was found selling at Tk160 to Tk180 per kg, which was TK140-150 last week. Pangas price increased by Tk20 to Tk170-190 per kg, Ruhi, Katla and other cat fishes by at TK50-70 to Tk250-350 based on their size.
Pabda price jumped to Tk350-500 per kg from Tk320-450 of last week, shrimp to Tk1,300-1,500 from Tk1,100-1,300, and Ilish Tk800-1,400 from Tk600-1,200.
Beef were found selling at TK525 yesterday, which was Tk560-600 last week while mutton sold at Tk750 per kg.
Poultry price fell to Tk140 per kg, which was Tk160 in the previous week. Egg price decreased by at least Tk2-4 to Tk28-30 every four pieces.
In grocery items, onion price increased by Tk5 to Tk30, garlic by Tk30 to Tk120, lentils by Tk25 to Tk110, while sugar price decreased by Tk2 to Tk52 chickpea by Tk15 to Tk90 and soybean oil by Tk2 to Tk105.
Prices of most of vegetable were lower by Tk10-20 yesterday compared to the previous week and were selling at Tk40-60.
Eggplant was selling at Tk60 per kg, cucumber at Tk 40, carrot at Tk30, tomato at Tk40 and chili at Tk60.
