Veg still costly this peak harvest period

Prices of various types of vegetable have risen further in different city markets in the last one week, keeping the winter items beyond the reach of commoners.
Spicy kitchen items like onion, garlic and ginger have also witnessed a hike during the period, according to market sources.
Seasonal cauliflower and cabbage were traded at Tk 50-65 apiece on Thursday when a medium-sized bottle gourd retailed at Tk 100-120, marking Tk 10-20 hike apiece further in a week.
Winter brinjal retailed at Tk 90-110 a kg, country bean at Tk 80-100, tomato Tk 70-90 and cucumber Tk 60-70 a kg the same day.
Onion price shot up to Tk 100-130 a kg, marking a hike of Tk 15-20 a kg during the period in question.
Md Abed, a vegetable vendor at Sadeq Khan Agricultural Market in Rayerbazar-Beribandh area, said vegetable and potato supplies have declined notably this year.
This year, prices are 30-40 per cent higher in district vegetable hubs than last year's amid loss of crops in October and November 2023 for unfavourable weather.
Belayet Hossain, a Karwanbazar-based trader, also spoke about low supplies of vegetable.
According to him, a minimum of 400 vegetable-laden trucks and vans usually enter Karwanbazar daily in January and February - the peak period for vegetables.
But the number has declined to below 240 trucks or pickups this winter.
Potato prices were still Tk 50-65 a kg, although it is also the peak harvest time for the crop.
The current price is more than 80-100 per cent higher than that of a year back, according to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
However, vegetable vendors said there were no supply shortages of cauliflower, cabbage, radish, cucumber, tomato, leafy vegetables, carrot and other winter crops, but the prices were still higher.
"I bought cauliflower at Tk 35 apiece a week ago, which increased to Tk 48-52 on Wednesday and Thursday," said Jalal Uddin, a vegetable retailer at Jhigatola.
Meanwhile, garlic prices jumped to Tk 260-300 per kg and ginger to Tk 240-260, marking a Tk 20-40 hike a kg in the last one week.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) vice-president SM Nazer Hossain said the government has almost failed to maintain checks and balances in the market amid weak monitoring.
"Vegetable prices are a bit higher at district level this year. Yet, the price gap between city retail outlets and rural hubs is 80-150 per cent," he added.
This ever-rising prices have made the nutrition-rich crops too costly for the poor, according to Mr Hossain.
He recommended strict monitoring to ensure market stability during the peak winter harvest season.
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