Vegetable prices sky-rocket

Rapid hike in prices of different vegetables caused by the strict seven-day nationwide lockdown and also shortage in supply have sour the Ramadan’s festive spirit for the city dwellers.

Consumers blame the government for its failure to rein in the rates in the kitchen markets during the festive season, traders attribute the surge to short supply amid the Covid pandemic and rise in demand during Ramadan.

Being affected with the soaring vegetable prices,consumers, especially the low-income grouppeople expressed sorrow saying: “Lockdown is already killing us and the price hike doing the rest.”

The wholesale and retail prices of vegetable in the city are much higher than the government-fixed prices, sources said, adding traders are blaming each other for the price hike.

One of the buyers, Sagor, said the same papaya that he had bought at Tk20 per kg earlier is now selling at Tk30.

Khorshed Mohammad, another buyer at Karwan Bazar said, “The vegetables that I had bought for Tk50 are Tk100 on Thursday. Lockdown is already killing us and the price hike will do the rest.”

A quick visit at Mohakhali, Gulshan and Karwan Bazar kitchen markets showed prices of brinjal, tomato, cucumber and long bean went 5 to 10 per cent up compared to Tuesday, the first day of lockdown.

In Mohakhali kitchen market on Thursday brinjal was being sold at Tk 80 per kg, Tk 20 up from Tuesday, tomato at Tk 40, up from Tuesday’s Tk 30, cucumber at Tk 60 per kg.TK 20 up from Tuesday’s Tk 40 and long bean at Tk 60 per kg, Tk 5 up from Tuesday’s Tk 55.

The prices of potato, onion, edible oil, green chili, raw papaya, lemon, radish, shrimp, sugar, lentil and date, however, remained stable.

“We had to buy some vegetables from wholesalers at higher price. They are showing an excuse of lockdown,” said Sumon, a retailer in Mohakhali kitchen market.

A customer said he was planning to buy one kg tomato and cucumber each but due to higher price he decided to buy half kilograms.

Retailers said tomato and cucumber were of high demand due to the start of Ramadan as they are consumed as ifter items.

“Cucumber became really expensive than two days ago. I bought on kg cucumber at Tk 40, but they are asking Tk 60,” said Rakib, a customer.

One of the vegetable traders, MdAzizur Rahman claimed that prices for everything at the wholesale market have gone up so they are being forced to sell at a high rate for profit. 

“Everything is expensive despite low sales. We had to buy goods at almost double the price,” he said.

MdShamim who sells lemon at the kitchen market said the price of lemon has doubled within a day. “It has gone from Tk20 to Tk40 for four,” he said.

Cucumber seller MdBillal resonated with him and said the price of his product has doubled within a day. 

Another trader, AbdusSobhan said the prices of coriander, eggplant, raisin, green chilli and mint leaves have almost doubled as well.

Brinjal prices increased by Tk 20-40 per kg overnight as sold at Tk 80-100 a kg on Tuesday in the month of Ramadan.  

MdJillur, a vegetable retailer at Rayer Bazar in the capital, said he bought quality long brinjals at Tk 75 per kg from Sadeq Khan wholesale market.He was selling the variety at Tk 85-90 a kg.

Abul Bashar, a wholesaler at Sadeq Khan Market, said brinjal prices increased substantially in Narsinghdi, Jamalpur, Cumilla and Bogura on Monday.

“Brinjal prices increased to Tk 60-62 a kg from Tk 40-45 a kg within a day”, he said.Bashar was selling brinjal at Tk 66-68 a kg based on quality.