Green chili hits Tk 300 per kg in Ishwardi
After several consecutive days of heavy rainfall, the price of green chilies in Ishwardi, Pabna, has surged to a record Tk 300 per kilogram. Prices of almost all vegetables have also increased as continuous rain has disrupted production and reduced market supplies, traders said.
A visit to different markets in Ishwardi on Friday found that green chilies were selling at Tk 300 per kg, while prices at neighbourhood retail shops were slightly higher. Just a week ago, the same chilies were selling for Tk 110-120 per kg, compared with Tk 50-60 per kg only a short time earlier.
Vegetable trader Jewel Hossain said continuous rain and floodwater had submerged chili fields, damaging many plants and reducing supplies. The same situation has affected other vegetables.
“A week ago, I sold green chilies for Tk 110-120 per kg. Now I have to sell them for Tk 300-310 per kg,” he said.
Abdul Momin, Agriculture Officer of Ishwardi Upazila, said heavy rainfall over the past several days has caused flooding and waterlogging in different parts of the country, severely affecting vegetable cultivation.”Green chili plants are particularly vulnerable to waterlogging, resulting in lower production. This has led to higher prices of green chilies as well as other vegetables,” he said.
Wholesale trader Sanjay Sarkar said widespread flooding in southern Bangladesh has increased demand for green chilies produced in the northern region, with much of the supply being transported to Dhaka and the flood-affected southern districts. As a result, supplies in the local market have declined, pushing prices higher. He added that wholesale prices currently range between Tk 280 and Tk 290 per kg.
Rickshaw puller Sudhir Das, who came to buy vegetables, said, “The prices of all vegetables have gone up because of the rain, but green chilies have increased the most.
I had to pay Tk 75 for just a quarter kilogram. Continuous rain has also reduced my income because I cannot drive my rickshaw regularly. With the prices of daily essentials rising, it has become very difficult to support my family.”
The prices of other vegetables have also risen significantly. Taro corms have increased from Tk 40 to Tk 70 per kg, while eggplants have jumped from Tk 50 to Tk 120 per kg.
Cucumbers are selling at Tk 110 per kg. Other current prices are: potatoes Tk 35, onions Tk 70, pointed gourd Tk 65, ridge gourd Tk 60, bitter gourd Tk 110, okra Tk 55, cauliflower Tk 90, spiny gourd Tk 70 and papaya Tk 40 per kg. Bottle gourds are selling for Tk 50-60 each, while ash gourds cost around Tk 50 each. Prices of fish and chicken have also continued to rise.
