Lentil prices mark sharp rise

Noman Mosharef :
The lentil price has marked sharp rise despite plenty supply in the capital’s kitchen market.
Around the year the price hiking of daily commodities was a common scenario. It was an immense pressure on the part of the middle and the lower income groups of people ad they could not maintain their annual budgets.
Recently BRAC (Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) has conducted a survey as to what was the reason of price hike when supply was plenty. It said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the income of 95 percent of the people of the country decreased, 62 percent lost their jobs and 28 percent became completely unemployed.  
Experts said people are seeing the light of hope again as the outbreak of corona has come under control. They are eaving everything behind and trying to survive. At the same time, the high prices of the products are making the consumers bewildered.
After visiting the markets of the capital it was seen that the price of broiler chicken increased up to Tk 15 per kg. As a result, the price of broiler chicken increased by Tk 30 per kg in three weeks. Traders are selling broiler chickens at Tk 180-185 per kg, up from Tk 165-170 a week before. Three weeks ago it was Tk 150-155.
The prices of Pakistani cock or Sonali chicken have also gone up. Traders are selling Sonali chicken at Tk 290-300 per kg, which was Tk 270-280 last week. Two weeks ago, the price of this chicken was Tk 250-270 per kg.
New onions have started arriving in the market. Local onion is being sold at Tk 50 per kg, down by Tk 10 the retail market.  
of the people of the country decreased, 62 percent lost their jobs and 28 percent became completely unemployed.  
Experts said people are seeing the light of hope again as the outbreak of corona has come under control. They are eaving everything behind and trying to survive. At the same time, the high prices of the products are making the consumers bewildered.
After visiting the markets of the capital it was seen that the price of broiler chicken increased up to Tk 15 per kg. As a result, the price of broiler chicken increased by Tk 30 per kg in three weeks. Traders are selling broiler chickens at Tk 180-185 per kg, up from Tk 165-170 a week before. Three weeks ago it was Tk 150-155.
The prices of Pakistani cock or Sonali chicken have also gone up. Traders are selling Sonali chicken at Tk 290-300 per kg, which was Tk 270-280 last week. Two weeks ago, the price of this chicken was Tk 250-270 per kg.
New onions have started arriving in the market. Local onion is being sold at Tk 50 per kg, down by Tk 10 the retail market. The prices of almost all winter vegetables suddenly rose without any valid reason. Potatoes are being sold at Tk 30 to 35 per kg.
Besides, tomatoes are being sold at Tk 60-80 less than Tk 10 per kg, beans at Tk 40 to 50, carrots at Tk 40, radish and papaya at Tk 25 per kg, and eggplants at Tk 40-60 per kg. The French is being sold at Tk 50-70, cauliflower at Tk 40 and cabbage at Tk 30-40.
Meanwhile, lentil is being sold at Tk 100 to 20 per kg, as against Tk 95-100 a month ago.
In the fish market, Rohit and Carp are being sold at Tk 250-350, walking fish at Tk 500-600, Telapia and Pangas at Tk 150-170. Besides, a hilsha weighing one and a half kilogram is being sold at Tk 1,000-1200 per kg small size at Tk 500-600 only, while shrimp at Tk 600-650 only.
Alauddin, a private company official, who came to Nayabazar said, I have three children, a wife and an elderly mother who depend on my income. I cannot maintain my family with my salary. It is painful when I cannot meet my children’s educational expenses.
He said, there are all kinds of products in the market, but the prices are high due to the traders’ greed for money. If such a situation continues, we shall have to suffer.
Golam Rahman, President of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), said that the reason of the price-hike is completely illogical. During the Corona period, the income of many sections of people decreased. Contrarily,, the cost increased a lot. The main reason of our sufferings is that our real earnings decrease with the increase of commodities, said an economist.