Brinjal prices strike 3-month high

FE Report
Brinjal prices increased by 60 per cent this week compared with last week while other vegetables prices remained stable.
Chicken meat prices increased slightly on Friday, onion remained static, rice prices were still higher and other commodities stayed static this week, according to traders.
Prices of brinjal, one of the most consumed vegetables over the year, witnessed a significant rise this week. The price reached a three month high on Friday.
Round brinjal was sold between Tk38-40 per kg, long brinjal at Tk35-40 per kg on Friday against Tk24-25 and Tk20-25 per kg respectively last week.
"Prices of brinjal have now stood a three month high, the price has increased at the wholesale which is forcing us to sell it at higher prices" Murshed Alam, a retailer of Banalata Kitchen Market at Newmarket area said.
"We have bought round brinjal at Tk175 per palla (five kg) from Karwan Bazar today in the morning. It was hardly Tk 110-115 per palla five days back."   
"Supply from brinjal growing hubs like Mymensinha, Jamalpur, Narshindi, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Bogra has reduced recently which is responsible for the rise," Tojammel Hossain, a vegetable wholesaler at Karwan Bazar said.
"The cost for bringing a truck loaded with ten tonnes (1000 kg=1 tonne) of brinjal was Tk0.215- Tk0.225 million seven days back which is now Tk0.315-Tk0.325 million" he said. Onion price was almost stagnant as local onion was sold at Tk28-30 per kg while the imported variety at Tk25-30 per kg on the day. Rice price was still higher despite having a sound transportation and supply.
Coarse rice Swarna varieties was sold at Tk35-36 per, Brridhan-28 varieties at Tk42-44 per kg, Miniket at Tk44-50 per kg on the day.
Potato prices were between Tk10-12 per kg, turnip at Tk8-12, radish at Tk8-12 and papaya at Tk12-15 per kg----made the four varieties cheaper comparing other vegetables.
Tomato, chick pea, bitter gourd witnessed an increase, while spices like garlic and ginger showed a decrease this week--- by Tk5-10 per kg.
Chicken meat price increased by Tk5-10 per kg at different markets and was sold at Tk135-140 (farm) per kg, Tk320-350 (Pakistani) per kg on Friday comparing that of last week.
Prices of other major commodities including fish, meats (excluding chicken meat), milk, sugar, salt, pulse, egg, flour, edible oils, spices (excluding garlic and ginger), tea etc were stable on the day compared to those of last Friday, traders said.