Kitchen market: Unstable price hike makes people miserable

Staff Reporter :
Country’s kitchen market are passing its historical time for price hiking of almost all kind of daily essential products as people from lower, lower middle and middle income group feel forlorn to survive.
Before recovery the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, the mundane has been facing another disaster Russia-Ukrain war which severely impact worldwide for inflation.
The wave of Russia-Ukarain war also impacted in our country to help the dishonest businessmen to price hike abnormally making poor people life unimaginable sufferings.
Even though, the price hike reached such a level as country’s people are bound to buy broiler chicken at unimaginable rate.
In the kitchen market of capital Dhaka, per kilogram broiler chicken is being sold at Tk 225 to Tk 235 which is unbelievable and of course unusual. One month earlier per kg broiler chicken was selling at Tk 140 to Tk 150. It is difficult to believe that about Tk 100 has been increased in per kg broiler chicken.
 On the other hand, all kind of another meat is being sold at high price. Sonali chicken (popularly known as Pakistani cock) is also being sold at Tk 310 to Tk330, beef at Tk 700 to Tk 750, mutton at Tk 1000 to Tk 1100.
Moreover, egg and fish have gone beyond as people from middle and low income group people are feeling force to cut their protein source from their meal. The egg price per dozen has increased to at Tk 145 to Tk 150 in the capital, whereas two weeks ago it was sold at Tk 115-120.
Karwan Bazar egg trader Ezzazul Hoque said short supply in whole sale market as the main reason. As a result, the egg price rose
by Tk 20 to Tk 25per dozen. The scenario of fish market is more pathetic then others. There is no fish less then Tk 220 to Tk 250 in the market. The common fish of poor people named ‘Telapia’ and ‘Pangas’ are being sold at Tk 220 to Tk 250 respectively.
Other fish prices have gone beyond from the low and middle income group people.
On the other hand, there is no change in rice market as all kind of rice is being sold at high price. There is no rice at under Tk 50. Coarse rice price has decreased Tk 2 few days earlier now it also being sold at high price at Tk 50.
After visiting capital Khilgoan Taltola and Malibagh market it was seen that a kg of coarse rice is being sold above Tk 50. Medium quality BR 28 rice is being sold above Tk 60 per kg. Miniket rice is available for a maximum of Tk 75. And the price of Nazirshail rice is falling between Tk 75 and Tk 85.
As such, none knows when these food items will return to the comfort.
In the market it was seen that the loose sugar is being sold at Tk 110 to Tk 115 per kg while the government rate is Tk 102 and Tk 107 respectively.
 Prices of vegetables including cauliflower, beans, cabbage, radish, brinjal, green pepper, papaya, and potato have gone down by taka 5 to taka 15 per kg at the weekend.
Early varieties of beans, which were sold at Tk 200 per kg, are now being sold at Tk 40 per kg. Green chili sells at Tk120 per kg. Prices of leafy vegetables including spinach in the Karwan Bazar and Moghbazar kitchen markets have also dropped five taka from 15 taka per bundle.
Visiting the markets in the capital on Friday, it was seen that the supply of winter vegetables has increased.
In Karwan Bazar, brinjal is being sold at Tk 25 to Tk 35, beans at Tk 35 to Tk 40, green chilli at Tk 40 to Tk 50, radish at Tk 35, new variety of potato at Tk 30, carrot at Tk 50 and bitter gourd at Tk 30.
Mohammad Mustafa, a vegetable seller of Kalyanpur Bazar, said that the price of vegetables has decreased.
Mohammad Rubel Hossain, a vegetable seller at Karwan Bazar, said while the prices of vegetables have decreased, the prices of other daily necessities have not.
Vegetables have been grown reportedly high in Rangpur, Bogura, Dinajpur, Munshiganj, Pabna, Jashore, Jamalpur, Narsingdi, Jhenaidah and Rajshahi. As a result, most markets now have an ample supply of winter vegetables including cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, radish, turnip, beans, tomato, onion leaves, gourd, broccoli, beans, carrot and coriander.
Ali Hossain, a salesman of Yasin General Store, Karwan Bazar, said, price of aromatic rice has increased by six taka per kg.
“We are buying at a wholesale price Tk 132, which was Tk 128. We are now selling at Tk 134 only,” he said.
In his shop, small grain lentils are priced at Tk 140 per kg, packed two Kg flour at Tk 145 and bottled soybean oil at Tk 192 per litre whereas the government has decreased Tk 5 per litter.