Weekly Wet Market: Veg prices stable, green chillies spike again

Muhammad Ayub Ali :

Vegetable prices in the capital’s kitchen markets have remained largely stable, thanks to adequate supply, with most winter vegetables still selling at last week’s prices.

However, while the price of new onions has fallen by Tk10 per kg, green chillies have once again turned volatile, rising sharply by Tk60–80 per kg over the past week.

A visit to Taltala and Agargaon markets on Friday showed that supplies of winter vegetables are ample, keeping most prices unchanged. Still, prices of a few items including cucumbers, khira, tomatoes and green chillies have edged up.

Winter vegetables are selling between Tk30 and Tk60 per kg depending on variety. Beans have increased by Tk20 to Tk80–100 per kg, while local carrots have gone up by Tk40 per kg. Radishes are selling at Tk20 per kg, cauliflower at Tk15–30 per piece, large cabbage at Tk30, and gourds at Tk40–60 per piece.

Among summer vegetables, jhing is selling at Tk80 per kg, barbati at Tk80–120, brinjal at Tk50–80 depending on type, kachur lati at Tk70–80, chichinga at Tk80, karla at Tk100 and dhundal at Tk80 per kg.

Green chillies are now priced between Tk120 and Tk160 per kg, up from Tk60–80 last week. Papaya and sweet pumpkin are selling at Tk40 per kg, local cucumber at Tk100 and khira at Tk80 per kg.

Leafy and other items include lemon leaves at Tk10–30, local coriander at Tk100 per kg, hybrid coriander at Tk60–80, raw banana leaves at Tk40, rice pumpkin at Tk50 per piece and capsicum at Tk300 per kg. Red cabbage is selling as low as Tk10 per head in some stalls.

Potato and onion prices show mixed trends. New potatoes are selling at Tk25–30 per kg, old potatoes at Tk20. Old local onions remain high at Tk130 per kg, Indian onions at Tk80, and new onions at Tk60 and onion bulbs at Tk30 per kg.

Chicken prices remain unchanged, with golden cock chicken at Tk270 per kg, golden hybrid at Tk250, red layer at Tk300, and white layer at Tk290, broiler at Tk160 and local chicken at Tk570–580 per kg. Egg prices range from Tk100–110 per dozen for red eggs.

Fish prices are steady. Hilsa is selling at Tk1,000–2,400 per kg depending on size, while common varieties such as Rui, pangas, tilapia and koi are selling within previous price ranges. Beef is priced at Tk750–780 per kg and mutton at Tk1,200 per kg, while prices of pulses, ginger and garlic remain largely stable.