Green chilli hottest in two years

August 22, 2015 00:00:00

FE Report

Green chilli prices hit a two-year high in the city kitchen markets on Friday while that of onion shot up further by nearly 20 per cent at the retail level, traders said.

However, prices of some vegetables, which had been on a sharp rise over a couple of months, registered further hike on the day, putting extra pressure on general consumers.

Chilli was sold at Tk 180-220 per kg at the retail level in the city against Tk 110-130 per kg seven days back, according to the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM) data. It is the highest price in last two years.

The chilli price rose to Tk 180 per kg at the retail level during the month of Ramadan this year.

The chilli price scaled the second highest level at Tk 200-220 per kg at the retail level in August, 2013. The price reached an all-time high in 2011 when it rose to Tk 320-350 per kg for some days, according to the DAM.

Prices of vegetables including eddo, snake gourd, sponge gourd, ridge gourd and radish went up by Tk 5-10 per kg in last seven days.

Eddo was sold at Tk 55-50 while snake gourd Tk 50-55, ridge gourd Tk 50-55,

sponge gourd Tk 60-65 and radish Tk 50-55 per kg on the day.

Rain at many vegetable growing hubs caused a hike in the prices of chilli and vegetables, traders said.

Md Redwanul Hoque, vice-president of Rayer Bazar Babosayee Samity, an association of wholesalers in the city, told the FE that rain damaged chilli and vegetables on vast tracts of cropland in Rajshahi, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Bogra, Pabna, Kushtia, Narsingdi, Kishoreganj, Netrakona and Chittagong, resulting in the price hikes. Chilli was selling at Tk 100-120 per kg for last two days at the district level, he said.

Onion prices also saw a hike on Friday. The price of the local variety of the spice was sold at Tk 65-72 per kg against Tk 55-60 per kg a week back.

The Indian imported variety was sold at Tk 60-65 per kg -- up by Tk 10 in seven days.

Prices of most of other commodities remained static in their higher ranges.

tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com