Spices getting dearer

Prices of most vegetables have dropped after a sharp rise at the beginning of the month of Ramadan.

Spices and few vegetables, however, saw prices rising in the past one week with Eid-ul-Fitr approaching.

A survey of markets in different parts of the city including Gopibagh, Maniknagar and Mugda on Friday by bdnews24.com correspondent revealed that eggplant, cucumber, green chilli, potato and several other vegetables were cheaper compared to last week.

A kg of eggplant sold at Tk 45-50, brinjal at Tk 55-60, cucumber at Tk 30-40, green chilli at Tk 50-60, potato at Tk 20-25, lady's finger at Tk 40-45, snake gourd at Tk 45-50 and green cowpea at Tk 35-40.

Karwan Bazar wholesale kitchen market traders’ association president Abdul Latif Mia said vegetable prices had risen soon after Ramadan began because of supply disruptions caused by rain.

Now, the prices have fallen a bit, he added.

Traders, however, said onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin seed, dried chilli and cardamom had become costlier over the week because of approaching Eid.

On Friday, local onions sold at Tk 35-42 and imported ones at Tk 35-45 against Tk 38-40 a week back.

Garlic sold at Tk 80-90, ginger at Tk 160-250, turmeric at Tk 130-180, dried chilli at Tk 150-180, cumin seed at Tk 290-350, and cardamom at Tk 270-300.

According to state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), prices of imported onion shot up by 115 percent, local onion 77 percent, garlic 16 percent, dried chilli 40 percent, turmeric 78 percent, ginger 40 percent and cumin seed 2 percent in the last one week.