Vegetable prices double within a week
FE REPORT | Wednesday, 13 March 2024
Brinjal, cucumber and lemon prices have more than doubled in a week, mirroring the familiar surge in essential items as the month of fasting Ramadan approaches.
For many, the iftar staples -- think crispy beguni fritters, refreshing chickpea green cucumber salad and thirst-quenching lemonade -- are taking a bigger bite out of household budgets.
Cucumber prices have soared to around Tk 100-120 per kg, compared to Tk 50 per kg just last week.
Supershop chains like Shwapno are now selling cucumbers at Tk 90 per kg, marking a Tk 30 increase.
Hussain, a customer of the outlet, lamented the across-the-board price hikes, noting that even cucumbers and lemons have become pricier.
Vegetable vendor Md Shahnur Islam in Dhaka's West Dhanmondi area said market conditions fluctuate daily, particularly evident at the beginning of Ramadan when brinjal prices spiked.
He said they are helpless as unscrupulous actors drive up prices, which in turn forces vendors to raise their retail prices.
Lemons, which at Tk 30-50 per four pieces on Sunday, rocketed to Tk 60 to Tk 100. Meanwhile, superchains were selling lemons at Tk 56 to Tk 60 per four pieces.
Director General of the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM) Md Masud Karim said it is a peak season for brinjal and cucumber while the production cost of those vegetables is Tk 16-20 a kg and their field level prices are a maximum of Tk 25 a kg.
He said while it is an off-season for lemon, its field-level price is a mere Tk 8.0 per piece. There is no shortage of brinjal as its production has increased to 0.5 million tonnes.
Cucumber production is also above 0.25 million tonnes, he said.
The Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Secretary Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan criticised the commerce ministry and other agencies for failing to curb market manipulators.
He said vegetable prices, including tomatoes and potatoes, have been steadily rising long before Ramadan.
He called the current situation, where brinjal is sold four times higher than the farmer's price, nothing short of "daylight robbery".