Rice, oil price hikes overshadow drop in prices of vegetables in Dhaka

With increasing supplies, the prices of winter vegetables have begun to drop, but the customers in Dhaka have had no respite from price hike as fine quality rice and soybean oil have become costlier.

Prices of Miniket rice at wholesale and retail markets in Mirpur, Pirerbagh and Karwan Bazar rose by Tk 1 or 2 per kg in a week.

Ferdous Monwar, a retailer at Pirerbagh, was selling Miniket rice at Tk 2,750 per sack of 50 kg on Friday. It cost Tk 2,650 a week ago. 

He could not say why the prices have gone up. “I’ve heard that the price of paddy is high now,” he said.

Wholesaler Rony Rice Agency at Karwan Bazar was selling Miniket rice at Tk 2,650 per sack. Trader Monirul Islam said prices of all varieties of rice rose by up to Tk 70 per sack in a week.  

Packaged soybean oil prices have increased by at least Tk 5 a litre in 10 days. Trader Mozaffar Hossain at Karwan Bazar said prices of a bottle of 5 litre soybean oil have gone up to Tk 520 from Tk 480 or Tk 490.

The price of soybean oil sold from open jars has increased by Tk 2 a litre to Tk 98.

Samir Dey, who came from Badda to shop at Karwan Bazar, said he saved some money from vegetables, but used it up to pay for costlier soybean oil.

Prices of garlic, ginger and imported onion have dropped at Karwan Bazar wholesale market, but the decline has not impacted the prices in retail markets in other parts of the city.

The traders at Karwan Bazar were selling white radish at Tk 30 per kg, pointed gourd Tk 40, bean Tk 50, cauliflower and cabbage Tk 30 apiece, and cucumber Tk 60 a kg.