A customer buying vegetables from a shop at a kitchen market at Rangpur City Bazar — FE Photo Spiraling prices of the daily essentials including vegetables have brought the low and middle-income people to their knees in Rangpur, Lalmonirhat and Khulna districts during last couple of weeks, exacerbating fear of a further financial predicament.
Our Rangpur correspondent reports: Excessive surge in prices of vegetables has added to the woes of the common people in Rangpur district who are already bearing the brunt of the price spiral of other essential commodities.
Especially, the impoverished or common consumers have mostly been affected on account of the unbearable circumstances.
Traders' sources said supply of almost all varieties of vegetables is scarce in wholesale markets as recent heavy rainfall caused widespread damage in vegetable fields across the district, resulting in less production.
On the contrary, customers alleged that a section of unscrupulous traders often raises the prices of the commodities, especially vegetables, showing the excuse of natural calamity.
Such dishonest traders are responsible for the plight of the common consumers, they further alleged.
Visiting some kitchen markets in the city, the FE correspondent found prices of the vegetables mostly prohibitive.
Presently, a kg bitter gourd is selling at Tk 80 against Tk60 ten days ago, eggplant is available at Tk70 a kg against Tk40 to Tk 50 earlier, per kg pointed gourd is being sold at Tk70 against Tk30 to Tk 40 earlier, long bean (barbati) at Tk 100 a kg against Tk60 to Tk 70, teasel gourd (kakrol) at Tk 80 per kg against Tk 50 to Tk 60, okra at Tk 80 each kg against Tk40 to Tk 50, taro arum at Tk 80 per kg against Tk 60 and bottle gourd is being sold at Tk 50 per kg and cucumber at Tk80 a kg.
Besides, price of green chilli is also unusually soaring in the local markets, selling at Tk360 per kg against Tk 120 to Tk130 earlier.
Meanwhile, early-variety winter vegetables have already appeared in the markets but their prices are exorbitantly high.
Per kg cauliflower is being sold at Tk140, radish at Tk 50 a kg and cabbage is available at Tk140 per kg.
Some customers like Md Shawpon and Rashed told The Financial Express at City Bazar that it has become quite difficult for the people of fixed income group to maintain their families due to soaring prices of vegetables.
In the present situation, the common consumers put emphasis on strict market monitoring to control the upward trend of prices of essential commodities.
Our correspondent from Lalmonirhat adds: Prices of essential commodities have soared abnormally in the markets of Lalmonirhat in recent days putting the people of low and middle income groups in further hardship.
Prices of all essentials like egg, onion, garlic, ginger, green chilli and vegetables have broken the records of previous few years.
People of low and middle income groups are facing difficulties in coping with the situation as most of their income level is far below the inflation rate.
Saiful Alam, a retailer of a local kitchen market, said all types of vegetables are being sold at nearly Tk100 per kilogram.
Brinjal is available at Tk80 per kg ,parble at Tk 80-Tk100 a kg, bitter gourd at Tk100 per kg, bottle guard Tk 60-Tk 80 a kg , potato Tk60-Tk70 a kg , onion at Tk110 per kg ,garlic Tk280 each kg, ginger Tk280 a kg ,green chilli Tk400 a kg and eggs at Tk150 per dozen.
Our Khulna correspondent reports: Prices of most of the essential commodities have gone beyond the purchasing capacity of the common people in the city markets.
"Our backs have been pushed to the wall as prices of commodities like egg, sugar, soybean, fish and rice increased over the last two weeks and there is no sign of a fall very soon," a government service holder told the FE while he was shopping at Natoon bazaar kitchen market on Sunday.
It has been seen from various markets that prices of vegetables have increased by Tk20-30 per kg.
Eggplant is selling at Tk100-Tk160 per kg, pointed gourd at Tk80-Tk90 per kg, papaya at Tk50 per kg, cucumber at Tk60-80 per kg, barbati and arum creeper at
Tk100-120 per kg, carrot at Tk160 per kg, bean at Tk230-250 per kg, tomato at Tk240 per kg and pumpkin at Tk100 per piece.
Green chilli is being sold at Tk400 per kg in the local kitchen markets.
Sources said a section of dishonest businessmen has raised prices of rice showing excuse of the recent flood and rains.
They are making windfall profit by creating artificial crisis of rice on the pretext that supply has come down due to inclement weather.
Small-sized hilsa is selling at Tk 800-Tk850 per kg, middle-sized one at Tk1,600-Tk1,800 per kg and small-sized shrimp at Tk600-Tk750 per kg.
Other local varieties of fish including baila, magur, tengra, koi, ruhita, pangas, parse and katla are selling at Tk700-Tk850 per kilogram.
Like other essential items, the interim government has recently fixed the prices of broiler and Sonali chickens; but consumers have to buy at higher prices.
The price of broiler was set at Tk 180 and Sonali chicken at Tk 270 but those were seen to have been sold at Tk200-Tk210 and Tk300 per kg respectively in various markets on Sunday. Last week Sonali chicken was sold at Tk260-Tk270 per kg.
Meat traders also said that beef was being sold at Tk700-Tk750 and mutton at Tk1,050 to Tk1,100 per kg.
Motaleb Howlader , a resident of Hazi Moshin Road area of the city, told the FE that he had to prepare a special list to keep his expenditure under control due to price hike.
Motiar Mia, a rickshaw-puller living in Tootpara slum in the city, said that it was very difficult for him to buy essential items at higher prices with the little money he earned.
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