Pressure intensifies on household budgets
Kitchen markets across the capital continue to offer little relief to consumers, as prices of most essential vegetables remain stubbornly high despite a slight uptick in supply following recent market spikes.
A spot check across key retail hubs, including Hatirpool and Town Hall markets in Mohammadpur.
The steepest price tags are currently attached to aubergines and tomatoes, with long brinjal selling at Tk 120 per kg, round brinjal reaching Tk 150 per kg, and tomatoes fetching between Tk 120 and Tk 140 per kg.
Meanwhile, yardlong beans, ridge gourd, and bitter gourd are all pegged at Tk 100 per kg.
Traders noted that monsoon produce such as teasel gourd, okra, pointed gourd, sponge gourd, taro arum, and taro stolon typically sees robust supply and lower rates during this season, yet most were priced at Tk 80 per kg, while cucumbers ranged between Tk 80 and Tk 100 per kg.
Even year-round budget staples have grown pricier, with papaya trading at Tk 40 per kg, medium bottle gourds at Tk 70 each, sweet pumpkins at Tk 60 per kg, and ash gourds between Tk 50 and Tk 60 each.
Beyond the vegetable aisles, protein and staple prices offer minimal respite for lower- and middle-income families. Broiler chicken is holding steady at Tk 190 per kg while the Sonali variety commands Tk 320 per kg, and brown eggs remain pegged at a high Tk 150 per dozen with retailers eliminating recent bulk discounts.
On the rice front, coarse varieties continue to trade between Tk 52 and Tk 55 per kg, BR-28 at Tk 60 per kg, fine Miniket at Tk 78 per kg, and premium Katari Nazir at Tk 85 per kg.
Among spices and tubers, green chili provided the only notable relief by dropping to Tk 200 per kg at retail down from Tk 400 two weeks ago with Karwan Bazar wholesale rates dipping to Tk 130-140 per kg.
Local onions remain relatively stable at Tk 55 to Tk 60 per kg, though potato prices climbed Tk 4-5 over the week to reach Tk 30 per kg at retail.
With essential food costs remaining elevated across all categories, household budgets in the capital continue to face intense inflationary pressure.
