Vegetables, fish prices still high despite supply increase

FE Report The prices of winter vegetables and fish are still high despite an increase in supply at the city's kitchen market Friday, but prices of different categories of rice and spices such as onion, garlic and ginger remained unchanged. Traders said there was no possibility of sudden price hike of spices before the Eid-ul-Azha due to sufficient supply and stock of those commodities in the market. Consumers said they were worried over the high prices of vegetables and alleged that a section of retailers intentionally hiked vegetables prices for making a windfall profit. They called upon the government to strengthen the ongoing market monitoring drive so that unscrupulous traders could not hike the prices of essential commodities at their will. The retailers said as they had to purchase commodities with high prices from the wholesalers so they were compelled to charge higher prices to ensure minimum profit. Traders at city's Shayambazar told the FE that at present the stock of onion, garlic and ginger is sufficient and the price hike of those commodities is very much unlikely. "There is sufficient stock of onion, garlic and ginger due to good harvest of local varieties and adequate import. We are hopeful that the prices of those commodities will be stable during Eid-ul- Azha," Shah Alam, a trader told the FE. Friday at the retail level market prices showed that per kg of locally produced onion was sold between Tk 35 and Tk 38 while the imported category was at Tk 32 to Tk 35.Garlic was sold between Tk 55 to Tk 60 and ginger at Tk 75 to Tk 80. Per kg of turmeric was sold at Tk 240 and Tk 260. Najirshail variety of rice depending on quality was sold between Tk 50 and Tk 52, minicate between Tk 48 and Tk 50, BR-28 between Tk 38 and Tk 40 and coarse rice between Tk 28 and Tk 30. Loose ata was sold between Tk 28 and Tk 30 per kg while two-kg packed was sold between Tk 62 and Tk 65. Brinjal was sold between Tk 40 and Tk 45 per kg, cucumber between Tk 30 and Tk 35, tomato between Tk 90 and Tk 100, ladies finger between Tk 45 and Tk 50, green papaya between Tk 18 and Tk 20 and potato at Tk 16. Per kg of green chilli was sold between Tk 100 and Tk 120 and sugar at Tk 65 while packed was sold between Tk 68 and Tk 70. Per litre of soybean was sold between Tk 118 and Tk 120. Five litre canned of different brands such as 'Teer' and 'Rupchanda' were sold between Tk 580 and Tk 595. Per kg of ruhi fish was sold between Tk 240 and Tk 280 and a medium size of hilsha fish was sold between Tk 450 and Tk 500. Per kg of beef was sold at Tk 280 while mutton was sold between Tk 380 and Tk 400 and broiler chicken was sold at Tk 125 per kg.