Vegetable, wheat flour and loose edible oil prices witnessed a fresh hike last week, further intensifying sufferings of the commoners.
Price of brinjal went up to Tk 70-90 a kg from Tk 55-70 a kg a week back. Brinjal price witnessed a total of 15-30 per cent hike in a week and a total of 40-45 per cent surge in last two and a half weeks, according to traders.
Most of other vegetables, including bitter gourds, snake gourds, pointed gourds, eddo and long-yard bean, were sold between Tk 60-90 a kg, marking a Tk 10 hike per kg.
Newly-harvested potato arrived in a few city markets, and was sold at Tk 160-200 a kg at retail level.
Early-harvested local bean price was static at previous high of Tk 120-140 a kg, and imported tomato and carrot at Tk 140-150 a kg.
Supply of spinach leafy increased in the market, but its price remained at previous high of Tk 20 a bunch.
Jalal Uddin Rafi, a veggie vendor at East Rayer Bazar in the city, said prices of all vegetables, except papaya, increased by Tk 4.0-8.0 a kg in a week.
He said cauliflower and cabbage prices increased by Tk 5.0 a piece.
The traders were selling the early-harvested winter veggies at Tk 45-55 a piece.
Lokman Hakim, a trader in Mohammadpur Agricultural Market, told the FE that transport cost of items increased by Tk 1.5 a kg with rise in diesel price by Tk 15 a litre, which might rose further in the coming days.
Besides, supply of summer vegetables declined by 80 per cent, as farmers are busy with seasonal winter crops.
Prices of Rabi (winter) crop would remain much higher until end of the month, as the season has just started, he added.
The country produces more than 12 million tonnes of veggies annually, of which Rabi season (mid-October to mid-March) comprises 60 per cent.
Prices of flour, both refined and coarse (maida and atta), increased by Tk 4.0-5.0 a kg in a week at retail level.
Packet flour price hit maximum Tk 55 a kg, and loose flour price Tk 45 a kg. Packet atta price went up to Tk 50 a kg, and loose atta to Tk 41 a kg.
Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) recorded 5.0-9.0 per cent hike in flour price in a week and 17-28 per cent in last six months.
Flour mill companies claimed that a rocketing trend in the global market prices of the item forced them to review the price in the domestic market.
According to the international commodity web portal Index Mundi, wheat prices in America and Europe continents increased by 37-40 per cent in a year.
Meanwhile, loose palm oil prices increased further by Tk 2.0-3.0 a litre, and it was sold at Tk 132-140 a litre on Friday. Loose soybean prices remained static at Tk 144-148 a litre and bottled soybean at Tk 159-160 a litre.
Egg prices also remained high at Tk 116-120 a dozen.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Secretary Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan said the latest fuel price hike has come as a massive burden for commoners, who are already suffering for rocketing prices of essentials along with decline in their income.
The government should review the decision again to prevent further burden of inflation on them, he noted.
Apart from this, strict market monitoring should be ensured immediately to prevent biggies from unethical business practice during crisis periods.
He said prices of palm oil started declining in the global market from last week, and urged the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC) to review edible oil prices again, if their current price trend continues.
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