Vegetables sizzle, fish fizzle in Dhaka markets

Winter vegetables are rolling into Dhaka markets, but prices are holding their ground, and even falling fish rates aren’t reeling in shoppers

Prices in Dhaka’s kitchen markets remain high despite a rise in the supply of winter vegetables, with a gap of around Tk 100 per kg between old and new potatoes.

Fish prices, however, have fallen by up to Tk 100 per kg over the week.

At Jatrabari, trader Shamsul Islam told bdnews24.com that prices of most fish had dropped.

“A week ago, rohu was Tk 350-400 per kg. Today, even on Friday, it is Tk 320. But look, there are no buyers,” he said.

Although Fridays usually attract more shoppers, many were seen bargaining and leaving without purchasing, while some bought only in small quantities.

Farmed tilapia has remained at Tk 130 per kg for the past two weeks. Pangas catfish also stayed unchanged at Tk 180 per kg.

On Friday, large stinging catfish sold at Tk 400 per kg and sardines at Tk 250, down from above Tk 300 just days earlier. Stinging catfish had been priced above Tk 450 per kg.

Farmed shrimp sold for Tk 600-700 per kg. Freshwater fish from the south, including tula dandi, sold at Tk 400 per kg, compared with Tk 500 the previous week.

Large snakehead murrel sold at Tk 600-700 per kg, while spotted snakehead sold at Tk 250-300, both down by Tk 30-50 per kg from last week.

Farmed butterfish, previously Tk 400 per kg, sold at Tk 330-350, with smaller ones at Tk 250.

Larger varieties of pool barb sold at Tk 200 per kg, a fish that rarely drops below Tk 250.

Nola, one of the highest-selling fish, was Tk 250 per kg, down from Tk 350 a week earlier.

Hilsa weighing 300-350 grams sold at Tk 800 per kg.

Although supplies of winter vegetables have increased, the impact is yet to be felt in prices.

Prices fell by Tk 20-60 per kg from the previous week but remain high for most households.

New potatoes sold at Tk 120 per kg on Friday, down from Tk 180-200 a week earlier. Old potatoes remained at Tk 20 per kg.

At Jatrabari, hyacinth beans with seeds fell by Tk 40 to Tk 160 per kg.

Local tomatoes were sold at Tk 100 per kg, compared with Tk 150-160 the previous Friday.

Cucumbers dropped from Tk 80-100 to Tk 60 per kg, while cauliflower held steady at Tk 50 per piece.

Long thick aubergines fell from Tk 120 to Tk 80 per kg. Seedless hyacinth beans were Tk 80 per kg, compared with Tk 120 last week.

Chillies sold at Tk 160 per kg at Jatrabari and Shonir Akhra. Coriander leaves dropped to Tk 140-160 per kg from Tk 200.

At Shonir Akhra, imported carrots fell from Tk 160 to Tk 140 per kg, snake gourd from Tk 80 to Tk 60, and both bitter gourd and okra from Tk 100 to Tk 80.