Fuel price hike further pushes up prices of essentials
Essential commodity prices experienced a fresh upward surge across the capital’s kitchen markets on Friday, as traders passed the burden of higher transportation costs triggered by the government’s recent fuel price adjustment onto end consumers.
Prices of daily essentials, including vegetables, eggs, chicken, and edible oil, registered noticeable increases in major retail hubs across Dhaka.
Traders and market insiders directly attributed the price pressure to freight fare revisions following the government’s decision to raise diesel prices by Tk 20 per litre to Tk 135.
Following the petroleum price adjustment, truck, pick-up van, and other diesel-run transport operators hiked freight fares by Tk 2,500 to Tk 5,000 per trip. The sudden escalation in transport expenses has disrupted produce logistics and created friction between transport operators and wholesalers.
The impact of the fuel price hike is now being felt in the kitchen markets, said Rafi Rahman, a trader at Mohammadpur Bazar. He explained that increased freight charges have translated into an additional cost of Tk 0.50 to Tk 1.0 per kilogram for goods brought to urban markets.
He noted that many truck owners have suspended operations to avoid losses as traders are not willing to pay the additional charges for now, fueling concerns over potential supply shortages and further price volatility in urban produce markets.
In retail markets, summer staples including okra, pointed gourd, sponge gourd, ridge gourd, and bitter gourd rose by Tk 5 to Tk 10 per kilogram, retailing between Tk 60 and Tk 80 on Friday.
Salad staples faced sharper jumps, with cucumber trading at Tk 70 to Tk 80 per kg, tomatoes at Tk 120 to Tk 130 per kg, and green chillies reaching Tk 160 to Tk 200 per kg, reflecting a weekly surge of Tk 10 to Tk 20 per kg.
Aromatic rice prices Tk 130 – Tk 240 Kg, depending on the brand, packaging and specific variety.
The poultry segment mirrored the upward trend as brown farm eggs rose to Tk 155-160 per dozen, up from Tk 150-155 a week prior.
Broiler chicken prices escalated by Tk 10 per kg to reach Tk 190-200 per kg, while Sonali chicken jumped by Tk 20 per kg, selling between Tk 350 and Tk 370 per kg.
Saiful Chad, a chicken vendor at Townhall market, also attributed the rise in egg and chicken prices partly to the fuel price hike.
He noted that the proposed increase in truck fares could raise the cost of a trip from Jashore to Dhaka by a maximum of Tk 1,5000- 22000 Tk for trucks carrying around 9,000-10,000 kg of vegetables, and urged relevant state-run agencies to monitor the situation and take necessary measures.
Meanwhile, supply shortages in the edible oil sector persisted as one-litre bottled soybean oil remained scarcely available, forcing consumers toward three-litre and five-litre containers.
Following the recent price revision to Tk 204 a litre, consumers paid Tk 408 for a two-litre bottle and Tk 1,020 for a five-litre bottle, while the short supply pushed loose soybean oil prices to Tk 205-208 a litre and palm oil to Tk 180-185 a litre.
