Onion, chilli, ginger prices see fresh hike

FE Report
Prices of onion, chilli and ginger witnessed fresh hike Friday compared to the previous week as traders blamed the ongoing blockade and hartals for supply crunch and higher transportation cost.
Price gap among key kitchen markets in the city widened further though prices of few vegetables declined on the day, according to market sources.
However, most of other commodity prices remained static on Friday maintaining the higher price tag.  
Local varieties of onion sold between Tk 38-40, imported Indian varieties between Tk 35-38 per kg on Friday, a Tk 7 to Tk 8 increase in a week, traders said.
Ginger prices increased by Tk10-30 per kg in last seven days as local variety traded at Tk90-100 and imported Chinese variety at Tk130-150 per kg on Friday.
Chilli of different varieties sold at Tk50-80 per kg at different wet markets, a Tk10-20 hike in last seven days.
Md Abdul Zayed, a spice trader at Karwan Bazar wholesale market in the capital said disruption in transportation due to the blockade and hartals is the key reason behind the hike of onion and other spice prices.
He said supply of ginger and onion has been declined by nearly 60 per cent. "Although few number of onion laden trucks are entering the city from Pabna and Faridpur, but fare of the transport has increased more than by 100 per cent."
He said ginger supply from Rangpur and three hilly districts remained almost halted, which is causing the price hike.
Meanwhile, price difference among kitchen markets increased significantly in the city which retailers and wholesalers blamed each other.
Visiting Rayer Bazar, Karwan Bazar, Nowabganj Bazar, Palashi Bazar and Hatirpool Bazar in the city it was found that brinjal of same varieties were sold between Tk27-50 per kg.
Taal variety of brinjal sold at Tk27-28 per kg at Karwan Bazar and Rayer Bazar wholesale markets which was traded at Tk30-35 per kg at Nowabganj Bazar (retail) but sold at Tk45-50 per kg at Palashi Bazar and Hatirpool Bazar.
Considering the prices of a week back, brinjal prices eased by Tk5 per kg at Nowabganj Bazar but it remained static at Palashi and Hatirpool Bazar.
Bitter gourd price declined by Tk10-15 per kg in a week at Nowabganjbazar when the same produce traded at Tk60-65 per kg at Hatirpool Bazar.
When asked, Md Anisur Rahman, a retailer at Hatirpool Bazar said the prices are higher at Karwan Bazar wholesale due to the blockade.
"We are just making profit of Tk2-3 per kg," he claimed although the price o the vegetable traded between Tk38-42 per kg at Karwan Bazar.
When contacted, Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) secretary Advocate Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan said many unscrupulous traders are active to cash in during the ongoing political violence.
He said the government should intensify its monitoring activities to check whether there is any supply shortage to substantiate its claim that a number of goods laden vehicles are entering the city with security escort.     
    tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com.