Prices of vegetables, fish and some other essentials rose steeply in the last few days in the capital, which traders said was caused by heavy rainfall and the spate of hartals.
On spot visits to a number of wholesale and retail kitchen markets in the capital it was found that prices of fish and vegetables registered rise of Tk 5 to Tk 20 per kilogram depending on the type.
Lower and middle income group buyers in the city expressed concerns and said if the trend continues it will be hard for them to keep meeting their families' living expenses.
In Mirpur-11 kitchen market, where most of the buyers are from the lower and middle income groups, were seen haggling with traders over prices.
A number of customers said none of the vegetables in the market except potato is available within Tk 30 a kg. The situation forces most of the consumers to buy less to maintain their budget.
In West Sheorapara Oli Miah kitchen market a trader said most of the buyers there are known to them, but the congenial relationships are fraying under pressure of high prices lately.
Wholesalers at Karwan Bazar and Jatrabari kitchen markets said incessant rain over the last few days destroyed vegetable plants, as rainwater inundated the fields. This caused short supply of vegetables in the markets of the capital, which in turn pushed the prices up.
Under the circumstances, the traders are being forced to charge almost double the price compared to last week's for some vegetables. They said bitter gourds are now selling for Tk 50 to Tk 55 a kg which were Tk 25 to Tk 30 a kg. Eggplants are Tk 40 to Tk 50 a kg which were sold for Tk 30 last week. Pointed gourds (Potol) are being sold for Tk 40 a kg which were Tk 20 a week ago.
Prices of other commodities including green chilli, onion, and potato also rose steeply.
Wholesalers said every year around this time vegetable prices usually remain comparatively high, but the prices are too high this year due to the recent hartals, and high transport and labour costs.
A staff at Chowdhury Banijjalaya, one of the largest vegetable wholesalers at Karwan Bazar, said they get most of their supplies from Jessore. Usually transport cost of one truck load of goods is Tk 8,000 to Tk 8,500, but around hartals the cost rose to Tk 12,000.
Visits to fish markets also showed that due to short supply prices of almost all types of fish went up.
A fish trader at West Kazipara of Mirpur said he used to sell about 30 pieces of Hilsha a day, but now he does not get more than 10 pieces to sell as the price went up almost 50 percent. A piece of Hilsha which he used to sell for Tk 300 about 15 days ago now sells for Tk 450.
Fish traders said due to the monsoon, water in the rivers and canals rose higher resulting in smaller amounts of catches, causing a short supply to the market.
The prices of commodities consumed mostly in the Ramadan also started showing an upward trend over the last one week.
Source : The Daily Star
