Veg, onion, potato prices down; rice gets dearer

The prices of potato, onion and different vegetable varieties have dropped further by Tk 10-20 a kilogram over the past week, dispensing some relief to consumers.
On the other hand, rice shows a further hike in price, but chicken and fish maintain their previous highs.
The decline in vegetable prices has largely been attributed to a profusion of supply this winter.
Traders say vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage and tomato have seen significant reductions, with prices dropping by Tk 10 a kg/piece compared to last week's.
Potato, too, has witnessed a marked decrease, now selling at Tk 35-40 a kg, down from Tk 55-60 just a week ago.
Sohrab Ali, a trader at Rayerbazar, says the influx of the locally harvested tuber has driven this decline.
While vegetables like brinjal, radish and leafy greens are available at more affordable rates as protein-rich items continue to strain household budgets.
Brinjal is priced at Tk 50 a kg, while radishes cost Tk 20. On the other hand, papaya and turnip are available at Tk 30 a kg, with cauliflower and cabbage ranging between Tk 15 and 40 apiece.
Gourd and bean are traded at Tk 40-50 a kg, cucumber at Tk 50 and green chilli are ranging from Tk 60 to 100.
Meanwhile, chicken prices remain unchanged, with Pakistani/Sonali variety selling at Tk 340-350 a kg and broiler at Tk 210-220.
The price of beef hovers at Tk 750-780 a kg, while mutton retails at Tk 1,150-1,200.
Cultured fish maintains previous highs as pabda is priced at Tk 450-550 a kg, tilapia at Tk 220-260 and ruhi at Tk 350-450 depending on size.
On the other hand, cultured tengra is selling at Tk 600-650 a kg, shing at Tk 450-650 and pangash at Tk 180-220.
However, rice market offers no respite as prices of finer varieties like nazirshail and miniket witness a Tk 2.0 hike at Tk 80-94 per kg.
Coarse rice is as high as Tk 60-62 and medium variety retails at Tk 68-70 a kg.
Local onion is priced at Tk 50-55 a kg, marking a Tk 10 decline further in the last seven days, according to kitchen markets and groceries.
Although vegetable prices have eased slightly, the persistently high costs of staple foods underscore the challenges faced by low-income people.
The plight of the poor has worsened as the prices of essential commodities like rice, meat, fish, edible oil and pulses continue to soar, according to SM Nazer Hossain, vice-president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh.
Citing government statistics, he said food inflation reached nearly 13 per cent, further aggravating the hardship faced by low-income families.
Mr Hossain accused rice millers of arbitrarily increasing prices in the absence of sufficient market monitoring.
He said many millers were failing to support the government's Aman rice procurement target of 0.9-million tonnes of grains.
Mr Hossain called for stricter measures to ensure millers fulfil their obligations. "As agreed, they must supply rice to government warehouses. Otherwise, their licences and operating permissions should be cancelled."
To stabilise the market and address the crisis, he suggested incentivising private importers to bring in rice, potentially through subsidies.
Mr Hossain also emphasised the urgency of implementing a rationing system for 40-million poor citizens to ease their suffering.

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