There is no sign of essential prices easing in Chattogram; instead, prices of various goods are rising further. The price of green chillies has doubled in a single jump. On Friday, green chillies sold at 400 taka a kilogram. Alongside this, the price of local onions rose by more than 20 taka a kilogram, and fish prices climbed by 30 to 50 taka a kilogram, with sea fish rising the most. Rice prices have also risen along with other essentials. Vegetable traders said prices of various vegetables have risen significantly over the past few days because of flood damage to crops and disruption to the supply chain.
Vegetable traders said produce has been selling at sharply high prices for more than two weeks, and the price of green chillies has risen further within that time. Two weeks ago green chillies cost 80 to 100 taka a kilogram; last week it was 180 to 200 taka. On Friday, green chillies sold at 380 to 400 taka in various city markets — the highest so far this year.
Consumers complain that, for want of strict monitoring by the administration, the market for essentials is growing more unstable by the day. There is no sign of any product’s price falling. Government-fixed prices exist on paper, but nowhere in the market are goods selling at those prices; most are selling at inflated rates.
Talking to sellers and buyers in several retail and wholesale markets in Chattogram on Friday, it emerged that local onions, which cost 40 to 45 taka a kilogram depending on quality just a week ago, are now selling at 60 to 65 taka. TCB figures show the price of onions has risen 43.75 percent in the space of a month, even though the agriculture department says there has been a good onion harvest this year and no imports will be needed. In that situation, there is no logical reason for a sudden price rise.
Khatunganj onion wholesaler Robin Hossain said suppliers from northern Bengal had suddenly raised onion prices. “There is nothing we can do here. We sell goods on commission. Onions I was selling wholesale at 40 taka just a week ago now have to be sold at 60 taka. A few taka more in the retail market is natural. If the flood situation returns to normal, prices may come down,” he said.
Because of the flood, rice prices have also risen in retail and wholesale markets. Coarse rice (Swarna), which cost 52 to 55 taka a kilogram, is now selling at 58 to 60 taka. Medium-quality rice (Paijam and BR-28) is selling at 72 to 74 taka a kilogram. Medium-quality rice has risen the most in recent days, up 3 to 5 taka a kilogram. In the retail market, depending on variety and quality, fine Nazirshail rice is selling at 83 to 85 taka and Miniket at 80 to 85 taka, while medium-quality BR-28 and BR-29 are at 62 to 65 taka, and coarse varieties including Guti and China Iri at 58 to 60 taka — 4 to 5 taka a kilogram more than before.
Among other essentials, ginger that sold at 150 to 160 taka a kilogram was seen on Friday at 170 to 180 taka in various markets, local garlic at 100 taka and Chinese garlic at 140 to 160 taka. Potatoes, however, are still selling at 25 taka as before.
Meanwhile, although the regulatory duty was cut from 5 percent to zero, the prices of dates, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper and coriander have not fallen. As before, cloves are selling at 1,500 taka a kilogram, cinnamon at 520, cumin at 600, raisins at 800 to 900, black pepper at 1,300 and cardamom at 5,100 taka.
Vegetable prices in the wet markets are also sky-high. Tomatoes are 160 to 200 taka a kilogram and bitter gourd 100 to 140 taka. Pointed gourd, okra, spiny gourd and ridge gourd are 70 to 80 taka a kilogram depending on quality. Papaya is 40 taka and potatoes 30 taka. Aubergine is selling at 120 to 150 taka a kilogram; taro stolon 80 to 100 taka, taro corm 80 to 100 taka, cucumber 100 taka, yard-long beans 100 taka, carrots 140 taka and sweet pumpkin 60 taka a kilogram. A set of four lemons sells at 15 to 30 taka. Local coriander leaf is 300 taka and hybrid coriander leaf 220 taka a kilogram, and green bananas sell at 40 to 50 taka for four. In the market, Sonali chicken is selling at 300 taka a kilogram, red layer at 350 taka, broiler at 180 to 190 taka and local chicken at 750 taka. Beef is selling at 780 to 800 taka and mutton was seen at 1,300 taka a kilogram.
Farmed stinging catfish sold at 300 to 450 taka depending on size. But buyers looking for pomfret, large snakehead or river gobies had to pay more than 1,000 taka. A kilogram of hilsa of about 300 grams each sold at 1,200 to 1,300 taka, and hilsa of 500 to 700 grams at 2,000 taka. Pabda sold at 350 to 400 taka, rohu at 300 to 450 taka depending on weight, and tengra at 700 taka. Mrigal sold at 250 to 300 taka, eel at 600 to 800 taka, and local koi at 700 to 800 taka.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report