Kitchen items continue to be dearer in city

FE Report
Consumers continue to bear the brunt of soaring prices of essentials including vegetables, chilli, lentil and edible oil registering fresh hikes last week, market sources said.
Prices of most essential commodities mainly fish, meat, vegetables, pulses, onion, chilli and some other spices maintained a sharp rise over the past few weeks, badly affecting the purchasing power of commoners, market observers said.
After visit to some city kitchen markets, it was found that prices of at least four vegetables further rose in a couple of days of the week that ended on Friday.
Bitter gourd (korola) was selling at Tk 60-65 per kg, bitter gourd (ustha) at Tk 80-100 per kg on Friday against Tk 55-60 and Tk 80-90 per kg respectively in the previous week.
Prices of snake gourd and papaya also increased to Tk 45-50 per kg, up by Tk 5.0 per kg from their previous rates.
Green chilli price shot up to Tk 110-130 per kg on Friday which was selling between Tk 80 and Tk 90 per kg few days back.
Prices of most of other vegetables maintained their previous high range.While talking to the FE at city's Nowabganj Bazar, Md Adnan, a tea-stall owner, said: "The prevailing skyrocketing prices of most essentials badly hit the limited income people like us."    
He said, "Prices of essentials have increased in such a way that nothing is available below the rate of Tk 50 per kg."
However, traders attributed such hike in the prices of vegetables to their short supplies, caused by damage to crops following incessant rain and flooding in some major producing hubs.    
The regional offices of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) confirmed the FE that nearly 0.12 million hectares of cropland have severely been damaged by incessant rain coupled with cyclonic storm 'Komen'.
President of Karwan Bazar Kanchamal Aratdar Baboshayee Samity Md Abdul Latif told the FE that rain has damaged vegetables on a vast area, resulting in price hikes.
Rain damaged crops in Jessore, Chittagong, Barisal, Noakhali, Comilla, Faridpur and Dhaka regions, he said, adding that market now totally depends on vegetables produced in northern and north-eastern and central regions.
The district level traders have raised the prices of vegetables in Rajshahi, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Bogra, Pabna, Kushtia and Narsingdi, he said.
Super palm oil was sold at Tk 80-84 per kg at different kitchen markets, registering a Tk 3-4 hike in a week and a rise of Tk 10 in last fifteen days.
Md Rahmat Ali (Manik), a grocer at Nowabganj Bazar in Old Dhaka, said the wholesalers have pushed up the price significantly.
"Price of super palm is now hovering between Tk 2,950-3,000 per maund (37.3 kg) at Moulovibazar wholesale which was Tk 2,880-2,900 per maund seven days back," he said.
When contacted, president of Bangladesh Edible Oil Wholesalers' Association Md Golam Maula said the importers have increased the price.
Prices of super palm at mill gates increased by 15-20 per cent in last three weeks, he said.
However, prices of lentil (Nepalese) increased to Tk 125-130 per kg on Friday which was Tk 120-122 a week back.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Secretary Advocate Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan said the government should gear up market monitoring.
He said prices of vegetables might rise for rain, but there is no reason for hike in onion price in such way.
Prices of local onion price increased to Tk 60-65 per kg which is abnormal, he said. Prices of global edible oil have been witnessing very lower prices for last one year.
The government should immediately look into the matter to give the limited income people some relief.
However, a study on market trend conducted by Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM) revealed last week that commodity prices increased by 10-80 per cent.The DAM data showed prices of onion, most of vegetables, egg were even higher than that of the month of Ramadan.
Price of broiler chicken declined to Tk 145 per kg on Friday -- Tk 15 decline in a week.
Prices of ginger (imported Chinese variety) plunged to Tk 100-110 per kg which was Tk 120-125 per kg a week back while local ginger was static at Tk 90-95 per kg on the day.
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