KHULNA, Nov 18: Unstable price of daily essentials in Khulna metropolitan area is gradually causing annoyance among the commoners.
The prices of one product after another are going beyond the purchasing power of the people. Once the price of a commodity is increased, there is no sign of coming down it to the previous price.
No initiative of the government to reduce the prices of daily commodities is being effective. The traders are not heeding any request and instructions of the government. The prices of many commodities, including rice, pulses, potatoes, onions and garlic have not yet come within limit. The prices of winter seasonal vegetables are also increasing. However, the price of fish has started to decline.
Some Buyers said the price of rice has gone up a couple of months ago for no reason but still stuck at the previous price. There is no valid reason to increase the price of rice in the country, the government officials think. Despite various initiatives of the government, the price of rice has not come down.
The food minister's warning did not work. Even though the government has fixed the price, no one is paying attention to it. Despite adequate supply and stock, the price of potato is still Tk 50 per kg.
All kinds of winter vegetables came in the market in November. But the prices of these are still high. A bundle of 10-12 spinach plants with three to four leaves costs Tk 30. It is difficult to feed a family of four with two bunches of vegetables. The same is true with other vegetables.
Bitter gourd is selling at Tk 90 per kg, radish Tk 60, new potato at Tk 160 per kg and cauliflower Tk 50 per piece.
At this time, various species of fish have started to appear in the market. In addition to farmed fish, these native species of fish are marketable. Even then the price is unaffordable. The sellers said that the market is rising. Similarly, prices of flour, garlic, ginger, meat and eggs have also gone up.
After visiting the local vegetable market it has been seen that eggplant is selling at Tk 40 to Tk 50 per kg, pointed gourd at Tk 40, coriander at Tk 100, cucumber at Tk 30 to Tk 40, green chilli at Tk 120 per kg, onion at Tk 50, potato at Tk 50, local garlic at Tk 100 per kg, china garlic at Tk 110, lemon Tk 18 per hali, bean at Tk 50, okra at Tk 40 per kg, papaya at Tk 30, pumpkin at Tk 30 per piece, cauliflower at Tk 70 per piece, long bean at Tk 60, arum at Tk 55 per kg, cabbage at Tk 40, carrot at Tk 80, tomato at Tk 100 per kg and leafy vegetables at Tk 20 to Tk 40.
Jewel Sheikh, a vegetable seller, said now there are more vegetables, the price of each vegetable has come down by Tk 8.0 to Tk 10 per kg. Gradually the price will come down.
Lavlu Sheikh, a trader in Khulna Truck Stand Wholesale kitchen Market, said, "Now our business is in a very bad position, there are no shipments, we are incurring losses." The price of vegetables is decreasing every day.
Liton, a fish trader in Mistri Para Bazar, said the canal, beel, pond have started drying up in the winter season due to which the price of fish will come down soon.
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