Onion equals chicken price after another hike in Dhaka markets

The prices of onion have jumped again to catch the rate of farm chicken, and both are now being sold at Tk 120 a kilogram in different Dhaka markets.

After a week of stability at Tk 100 per kg, the near indispensable cooking ingredient in Bangladeshi household has jumped to more than Tk 120 a kg in retail shops in Dhaka on Friday.

Farm chicken price dropped and stayed at Tk 110 a kg for around a month before rising again on Friday.

The beef, which was once considered as a major source of protein for the lower and middle-income people considering its low price, now sells at Tk 500 a kg in the capital.

Vegetable prices are dropping as the winter supplies have started to arrive.

Most of the vegetables now price below Tk 50 per kg. Vegetable prices were between Tk 70 and Tk 80 a kg a month ago.

Mohammad Mosharraf, a wholesaler in Karwan Bazar, said the sale of onion dropped following the rise in price.

He said he was selling 10 to 15 maunds (1 maund = 37.3242 kg) of onion daily now after the rise in its price while the daily sale had been over 30 maunds when the price was normal.   

A customer from Green Road, ‘Tushar’ said he usually bought 5 kg onion for his big family at Tk 280 to Tk 320 a month ago. “Now the price has doubled. I could have saved much if I bought some more last month,” he said.

By the end of July, onion prices doubled from Tk 25 to Tk 50 a kg. Imports from India, Egypt and other exporters could not make any impact on the market to push the price down.

After a slight drop in November, the price has shot up again.    

The Consumers Association of Bangladesh or CAB blamed 'market manipulation' for the hike in onion price earlier.

The recent rise in onion price follows India’s decision to curb exports of the ‘politically sensitive’ kitchen vegetable in a bid to control domestic prices.