Flour, potatoes, vegetables, and chicken have once again become more expensive, adding to the financial burden of the common people
Both finer wheat flour (maida) and coarse flour (atta) witnessed Tk 2.0-3.0 a kg further hike in a week and Tk 10-12 a kg in a month, according to groceries.
Loose maida was retailed at Tk 65-70 and packet at Tk 72.5-78 a kg while loose atta at Tk 50-55 and packet atta at Tk 65-68 a kg.
The current potato price is 155 per cent higher now than that of last year, said the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
According to market sources, all vegetables experienced a price increase last week, despite the vast beginning of the harvest across the country.
Cauliflower and cabbage were sold at Tk 50-60 a piece, tomato Tk 80-100 a kg, country bean Tk 60-80 a kg, cucumber Tk 60-80, brinjal 70-90 a kg, bottle gourd Tk 60-80 a piece, carrot Tk 60-70 a kg, turnip Tk 50-60 a kg and leafy Tk 12-30 a bunch on Friday.
Onion prices stayed at its previous high as newly harvested onion was retailed at Tk 110-130 while local onions from the previous season and imported varieties were sold at Tk 140-160 a kg on the day.
The current prices of onion are 167 (local) per cent to 271 (imported) per cent higher now than that of last year, said the TCB.
Meanwhile, According to the latest report from the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM), there is an alarming disparity in prices of fresh produce between farmers and city retailers, ranging from 80-450 per cent. This gap in prices negatively impacts both the farmers and consumers.
The price of broiler chicken, which initially declined at the beginning of this month, has increased again. Over the weekly holiday, it was being sold at Tk 190-200 per kg, with a Tk 10-15 per kg increase in just one week, as reported by kitchen market sources.
SM Nazer Hossain, vice president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), stated that the prices of vegetables, potatoes, and onions have been increasing unreasonably, despite being in peak harvest season, primarily as a result of weak monitoring.
He said we found no exemplary punishment for wrongdoers despite the concern government agencies have caught many of them red handed.
He said prices of flour have been increased by traders at a time when wheat prices have reached one and a half year low in the world.
The price of wheat declined by 33-35 per cent in last one year and still it is showing a down trend as European average price of the commodity is now US $240-$250 a tonne, he said.
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