Vegetables price still high

Noman Mosharef :
The significant matter is that the winter is well known for selling vegetables’ at low price whereas this year no vegetables’ were sold less than Tk 50 in the pick season of vegetables except photo.
The buyers claim that the wholesale and retail traders have created this situation by forming as syndicate. Even though, customers are pointing to the wholesale and retail traders for ongoing turmoil situation in the market, the dishonest trader reject the charge.
The boiler chicken and Pangas and Telapia fish which are popular to the low income group of people a key source of protein are now becoming out of buying capacity as both fish is being sold at Tk 220 and Tk 200 to Tk 220 per kg while boiler chicken at Tk 160-170.
There is no single vegetables except potato selling at less Tk 60 as common vegetables for all bitter guard is being sold at Tk 120 and eggplant at Tk 80.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict seems for the countries people as flogging a dead horse as almost all essentials are reaching beyond the purchasing capacity of lower middle and middle class people.
Capitalising on the conflict, importers have also increased the prices of other commodities.
The retail and wholesale markets are running last four to five days without edible oil as trades are saying there is no supply of oil.
Importers at Khatunganj wholesale market, the largest wholesale commodity hub in the country, have said the prices of most commodities have risen since the start of the conflict.
For instance, the booking price of wheat has gone up to $850-900 per tonne from $750-780 in the international market.
Similarly, the price of edible oil in the international market has gone up by $50-80 per tonne.
Any price rising in the international market is instantly replicated in the domestic one.
A glance at the prices in Khatunganj reveals that prices of essential commodities have risen to record levels in the past three days.
The price of wheat has increased by Tk115 since Wednesday, currently being sold at Tk1,215 per maund.
The prices of soybean and palm oil have also risen by Tk500-700 per maund (40.90 litres).
Mustard, which is imported from Ukraine, has also registered an abnormal price hike as it is now Tk1,000 costlier per maund, currently being sold at Tk3,650.
The price of Russian maize has risen by Tk200 per maund.
In just three days, the price of sugar has gone up by Tk40, while the price of white peas has risen by Tk150.
At the same time, the price of lentils imported from Canada and Australia has increased by Tk115.
Azizul Haque, proprietor of Hawk Trading, said the price of various commodities started rising on Thursday morning on the news of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
He said if the conflict continued then the commodities market may become even more volatile in the coming Ramadan.
Alamgir Parvez, proprietor of RM Store, a consumer goods importer, said the Covid-19 pandemic had already led to a sharp rise in commodity prices due to the global production crisis.
Coupled with rising fuel and freight prices, the market had remained volatile. Additionally, the price of the dollar had also increased.
With the current conflict added to the mix, the price volatility was only heightened, he said.