A Correspondent:
Khulna: Prices of essential commodities including rice, vegetables, poultry and edible oil have surged sharply in all over including Khulna markets, putting pressure on low- and middle-income people.
Despite adequate supply, key items such as green chillies, onions, garlic, broiler chickens and bottled soybean oil have surged over the past few weeks, said consumers.
Although traders linked the rise in vegetable and green chilli prices to recent heavy rainfall disrupting supply and transport, consumers expressed frustration, saying prices remain “unreasonably high” despite visible supply in the markets.
During visits to several kitchen markets on Friday, the correspondent found that eggplants were selling at Tk 100 per kg, potatoes at Tk 20–25, green chillies at Tk 200, local onions at Tk 75–80, local garlic at Tk 100–120 and imported Chinese garlic at Tk 200 per kg.
Other vegetables, including ridge gourd, pumpkin, pointed gourd, sponge gourd, lady’s finger and string beans, were selling at Tk 60 per kg, while bitter gourd was at Tk 80 and papaya at Tk 30.
Just two months ago, on June 20, the same items were priced much lower — eggplants at Tk 60, green chillies at Tk 80, onions at Tk 50–55 and local garlic at Tk 80–100 per kg.
The rice market also remains volatile as prices of all varities are rising steadily.
Swarna variety is now selling at Tk 55–60 per kg, 28 Balam at Tk 60–65, premium Miniket at Tk 75–80, lower-quality Miniket at Tk 70–75, Basmati at Tk 80–85 and Kalijira at Tk 110.
On June 20, Swarna was sold at Tk 52–54, Balam at Tk 60–62, Miniket (premium) at Tk 72–74, Basma-ti at Tk 75–76 and Kalijira at Tk 100 per kg.
Bottled soybean oil prices have also increased as 5-litre container of Fresh, Teer or Bashundhara is now selling at Tk 915 (Tk 183 per litre), up from Tk 875 (Tk 175 per litre) two months ago.
Lentil prices remain high and fine varieties are selling at Tk 150 per kg, up from Tk 140 a week earlier. Coarser lentils are selling at Tk 100 per kg.
Broiler chicken is being sold at Tk 160 per kg, cock chicken at Tk 280–300 and Sonali chicken at Tk 300. White layer eggs are priced at Tk 40–44 per dozen and brown eggs at Tk 48.
“All vegetable prices have gone up. Despite sufficient supply, nothing is below Tk 60. Brinjal is Tk 100 and green chillies Tk 200 — it’s unreasonable,” said Shafiul Islam, a shopper at KCC Sandhya Bazar in Moylapota.
He urged stricter monitoring to curb market manipulation.
Haidar Ali, a madrasha teacher, said “Every essential — rice, lentils, oil, vegetables — is getting costlier day by day. We urge the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection to intervene and contain this spiral.”
