BOGURA, Dec 20: Winter vegetables in Bogura - one of Bangladesh's largest supply hubs - remain cheap at the wholesale level but become noticeably costlier as soon as they change hands, even within the district.
Prices rise further when the produce reaches Dhaka and other major cities.
The northern district, covering nearly 3,000 square kilometres, is known for its agricultural output and farm machinery.
"Between the wholesale level and the retail market, prices rise by at least Tk 10 a kilogramme (kg) - whether it is cauliflower or beans - despite a supply glut," said one trader.
He further said that prices at Mahasthan, the largest wholesale market, remain significantly lower, but just a few kilometres away they jump sharply.
Mahasthan, a historic site and a key agricultural hub during the winter season, receives a heavy daily inflow of vegetables from various parts of the upazila and nearby areas.
Most produces bound for Bogura Sadar and other parts of the country arrive here. Traders told the FE that from this market, supplies also travel to Dhaka and around 20 other districts, with exports reaching six countries.
Cauliflower sold for a maximum of Tk35 a kg at the haat. Pointed gourd fetches Tk 40 a kg, bitter gourd Tk 55 a kg, beans Tk 75 a kg, onions Tk 92 a kg, and onions with stalks Tk 50 a kg.
People familiar with operations at the agricultural offices and other experts told the FE that the widening spread between "farmgate" and consumer prices is allowing middlemen to capture disproportionately large margins.
They said that unless this "vicious cycle" is addressed, the supply chain will remain inefficient and consumers will continue to suffer and hit on inflation.
Mahfuz Alam, additional deputy director (Crops) at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Bogura, said that the district produces vegetables in two seasons each year. After meeting local demand, the surplus is supplied to other regions.
Early in the season, he noted, the price gap between wholesale and retail markets typically widens.
"This is supply-chain inefficiency, and it needs to be addressed in the interest of the agricultural sector," Mr Alam said.
Md Apel, a farmer from Bakshon village in Shibganj, told the FE that farmers work hard to grow crops but rarely receive fair prices.
"When there is a bumper harvest, we bear the burden," he said.
He initially sold cauliflower at Tk 2,000-2,200 per maund (40 kg) but now receives only Tk 800, or roughly 1.0 kg in weight at Tk 20 per piece. In Dhaka, the same cauliflower is selling for more than Tk 60. Rafiqul from Uthli village said early-season beans fetched more than Tk 4,000 per maund but now sell for around Tk 2,000, or Tk 50 a kg.
Prices of the winter crops in Dhaka and other major cities hover around Tk 100 a kg.
Khokon Barua, a trader from Cox's Bazar, said Bogura's vegetables are of high quality and sell well in his district. He plans to purchase cauliflower, radish, beans, bitter gourd and bottle gourd.
Barua acknowledged that the lower wholesale prices but noted that several hidden costs along with transformational cost over nearly 600 kilometres - push up final prices in Cox's Bazar.
Another trader, Nurul Haque, who is transporting similar produce to Narayanganj, said that during peak season, 100 to 120 vegetable-laden trucks leave Mahasthan daily for destinations across the country.
According to the agriculture department, exporters and traders, Bogura's potatoes have been exported for nearly a decade.
For the past seven years, cabbage has been shipped to Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and several other countries.
Sweet pumpkins are also exported regularly, and taro (kochumukhi) was added to the export basket this year let alone the green chili (green peppers).
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