Veg prices up ahead of Ramadan

Prices of turmeric, chili and cucumber were up by 33-35 per cent in the city kitchen markets on Friday, compared to the previous week.
The prices of most vegetables also surged significantly in the last seven days due to rains. But the same recorded a significant rise on Friday almost for no reasons. The prices of other items remained unchanged ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, traders said.
Turmeric (loose) prices increased to Tk 200-210 per kg from Tk 150-155 a week back, according to a survey of the major kitchen markets in the city.
Turmeric (dry seed) prices also increased to Tk 150-155 per kg up by Tk 30, during the period.
Latiful Alam, who trades in turmeric and other spices at Nawabganj Bazar in the city, said a large quantity of turmeric was imported from India.
The prices also surged in the exporting countries that also led to the price hike, he said.
"Dry turmeric price rose to Tk 5,500-5,600 per maund from Tk 4,750-4,800 a few days back in the wholesale markets," he said.
However, prices of turmeric marketed by companies under different brands are yet to rise.
Grocer Shafiqur Rahman at the Banalata Kitchen Market in the New Market area said the representatives of companies told them that the prices might rise with the supply of new packets.
On the other hand, chili was being sold at Tk 80-90 per kg against Tk 60-70 per kg a week back. Vegetables like ridge gourd, pointed gourd, sponge gourd, bitter gourd, cucumber, snake gourd, green banana, lemon and tomato prices increased by Tk 5-20 per kg or per four pieces.
"Incessant rain in vegetable-growing hubs has caused the increase in prices as production of the items has fallen," Md Abdul Latif, president of the Karwan Bazar Kanchamal Arat Baboshayee Samity, an association of traders of agricultural produce, said.
"The transportation cost per truck of chili (nearly 10 tonnes) from Rangpur, Dinajpur, Mymensingh and Feni is now Tk 0.545-0.550 million. The cost was maximum Tk 0.450 million seven days back", he said.
When asked, he said prices of cucumber, lemon or tomato also increased.
Prices of the granola variety of potato increased by Tk 1-2 per kg in the last seven days and staged in the range of Tk 23-25 per kg in the city kitchen markets. However, the prices of brinjal, okra, leaf vegetables, coriander leaf etc were stable.
Onion prices witnessed ups and downs over the week. Prices of the spice increased to Tk 38-40 per kg for the local variety and Tk 33-35 for the imported variety on Monday. The prices then came down to Tk 35-36 and Tk30-32 per kg respectively on Friday.        
Prices of other commodities remained static on Friday compared to the levels posted last week.