Staff Reporter:
There is no sign of budget impact in the kitchen market as the prices of almost all essentials remained stuck at what they had been before the announcement of the annual fiscal plan on 11 June.
However, the stability in the market has offered little relief to consumers, as prices had already been too high for many low-income households.
During a visit to several kitchen markets in Mirpur 6, 10, 13, Shewrapara and Taltala on Friday, it was observed that most vegetable prices hover around Tk80 per kilogram.
Among the common vegetables items, eggplant was sold at Tk80 to 100 per kg depending on size, green papaya at Tk 40 to 50, bitter gourd at Tk 80 , cucumber at Tk80, okra at Tk60, pointed gourd at Tk60, yard – long beans at Tk80, and carrots at Tk140 per kg.
In addition, bottle gourd was sold at Tk70 to 80 per kg, sponge gourd at Tk60, bottle gourd at Tk80, ash gourd at Tk60, ridge gourd at Tk60, and pumpkin at Tk50 per kg. A bunch of four green bananas was sold at Tk40 to 50.
Saimon Hossain, from a kitchen market in Mirpur-13, said though the prices of one or two items like leafy vegetables have decreased slightly, most vegetables are stuck at high prices.
Among lentils, local thin masur dal was sold at TK 160 per kg, large masur dal at Tk 100 and chickpea lentils was Tk 100 to 110 per kg. In supermarkets, these same types of lentils were sold at Tk 10 to 20 higher.
Beef was sold at Tk800 per kg , mutton at Tk1,200. Broiler chicken was sold at Tk160 – 170 per kg, layer and Sonali chickens was sold at Tk360 per kg. Egg was sold at Tk120 per dozen.
In the fish market, hilsa weighing one kg or more was sold at Tk3,000, 500-gram hilsa was Tk1,500 to 1,700 and smaller hilsa was Tk900 to 1,000 per kg.
In addition, rohu and katla fish was sold at Tk350 to 450 per kg , large silver carp at Tk200, small silver carp at Tk140 to 160, boal fish at Tk700, hybrid tengra at Tk800 and kachki fish was Tk600 to 700 per kg.
In the spice market, local garlic was sold at Tk120, imported large garlic was Tk160, green chilies at TK120, and ginger was Tk140 to 160 per kg.
