Some relief for families as vegetable prices ease slightly after a month

Traders say they are relieved too, as their sales had gone down due to the recent high prices

After a month of paying eye-watering rates for vegetables, Safayet Hossain is pleased to see an easing of prices in the market.

He was able to buy beans, yardlong beans, bottle gourd, bitter gourd, and several other common household vegetables at Tk 10-15 per kg below the previous price at the Karwan Bazar wet market on Friday.

The prices of everyday vegetables had been steep for the past month, Safayet said. Though they haven’t yet returned to typical levels, it has still brought some relief to the family budget.

Safayet bought his vegetables from trader Prabir Sarkar, who introduced himself as a graduate from Government Titumir College.

"When prices increase, we also get stressed,” he said. “For the past few weeks, we have not been able to sell any vegetables for below Tk 80 per kg. Even if the buyers are upset, there is nothing to be done. They had to buy. This week, the prices of many vegetables have come down by Tk 10-15 per kg.”

Regarding the easing prices of vegetables, he said: "The prices of all vegetables, except imported ones and carrots, have decreased. Beans were selling for over Tk 200 per kg, now they are Tk 120. Okra has decreased from Tk 80 to Tk 60. Sponge gourd was Tk 70 last week, now it is Tk 50 per kg. Bitter gourd has decreased from Tk 60 to Tk 50 per kg."

A tour of the market showed yardlong beans selling for Tk 80 per kg, papaya at Tk 30, snake gourd at Tk 60, and sponge gourd at Tk 60.

In the Banasree area, a few kilometres away from Karwan Bazar, these vegetables were selling for Tk 10 to 15 per kg more. However, vegetable trader Amir Hossain said that the price drop could still be noted there.

The vendor, who sets up his van rickshaw of produce next to the South Banasree Jame Masjid, said: “The prices of several vegetables, including snake gourd, green chillies, bitter gourd, sponge gourd, and beans, have decreased by Tk 10-20 per kg. Vegetable prices have been quite high in the past month.”

Tushar Sheikh, a spice seller at Karwan Bazar, echoed a similar sentiment. Imported garlic from China is selling for Tk 150 per kg, and onion at Tk 70 per kg. While these prices have remained unchanged, the price of ginger has dropped by Tk 20 taka per kg to Tk 140-150.

Despite the decrease in vegetable prices, the prices of fish, meat and eggs have remained largely unchanged this week. At Karwan Bazar, a dozen brown eggs cost Tk 130, while a dozen white eggs cost Tk 125. However, a dozen eggs cost Tk 140 in neighbourhood shops. Broiler chicken is sold at Tk 180 per kg, while golden chicken sells for Tk 300 per kg.

The prices of freshwater-farmed rui, catla, tilapia, and olive barb fish remain unchanged. Rui-catla fish between 0.5-1kg are being sold at Tk 350-400. Tilapia is selling for Tk 220-240.

For over a month, fine rice has been selling at Tk 75-80 per kg in the retail market. However, the prices of coarse and medium quality Paijam and BR 28 rice have decreased slightly. The price of miniket has stayed the same, with the price of high-quality miniket being around Tk 74 per kg.

The price of coarse and medium rice has eased slightly due to the start of imports from India. The price has gone down by Tk 100 per 50kg bag, or Tk 2 per kg.

Shafiqul Islam, a shopkeeper at Bismillah Rice Traders in Karwan Bazar, said, "The demand for polao rice has gone up a bit. The prices of all types of polao rice have increased. The price of a 25-kg bag of polao rice was previously Tk 2,150, but it has been stuck at Tk 2,450 for two weeks. That is, what was previously sold for Tk 85 per kg is now Tk 98 per kg. And the polao rice that was sold for Tk 101 has become Tk 110."