After hovering around Tk200 or just above for the past two and a half months, green chillies have spiked to between Tk300 and Tk350 per kilogram. Round eggplant, once Tk150/kg, now goes for Tk220. Prices for most vegetables are edging toward Tk100 per kilogram. Sellers point to the Puja border closure with India and two days of heavy rain that damaged crops, while ordinary buyers lament that price increases have been ongoing due to weak market monitoring.
A tour of several Puran Dhaka markets on Friday showed that eggplants, already unaffordable for many in recent weeks, have risen again. Round eggplants that used to fetch Tk70 are now priced at Tk220 per kg. Long and white-round varieties have jumped by Tk20, now costing Tk100 and Tk140 per kg, respectively.
Compared with last week, prices for carrots, tomatoes, okra, beans, bitter gourd, snake gourd, and ash gourd have risen by Tk10–Tk20 per kg. Current rates are: carrots Tk120, tomatoes Tk140, okra Tk80–90, beans Tk100, bitter gourd Tk100–120, and ash gourd Tk60 per kg.
Other vegetables include ridge gourd Tk80, taro root Tk80, spiny gourd Tk70, cucumber Tk80, snake gourd Tk60, radish Tk60, bottle gourd Tk70, and potatoes Tk25 per kg. Papaya has slipped slightly, down by Tk5 to Tk25 per kg, while hyacinth beans, once Tk240, are now Tk160 per kg.
From mid-July up to last week, green chillies ranged from Tk180–Tk250 per kg. In the last few days, the price surged by roughly Tk100. Ordinary chillies are now Tk300/kg, with higher-grade varieties at Tk320–Tk350 per kg. Vendor Selim Mia of Ray Saheb Bazar explained: “Borders with India are closed for Puja, and the rain has affected supply. Most of our chillies come from India, and local production is minimal. When imports stop, demand rises and traders raise prices.” Another vendor, Abu Sayeed, added: “Rain has reduced vegetable supply, and imports from India are halted. Many customers have gone to their villages for the holidays, yet prices have still gone up.” Small trader Ali Hossain added: “For a long time, fish, meat, and vegetables have stayed pricey. Today fewer customers are in the market, but prices remain high. Traders seem to be operating in a syndicate, deliberately keeping prices elevated with little monitoring or action. Most vegetables are around Tk100—how are people supposed to cope?”
Fish and chicken prices, by contrast, have remained relatively steady
Fish and chicken prices have largely held steady week over week. Broiler chicken: Tk180–190 per kg, Pakistani chicken: Tk310–320, goat meat: Tk1300, sheep: Tk1000, and beef: Tk750 per kg. Mojibur Rahman, a Sutrapur Bazar vendor, noted: “Chicken prices rose by Tk10–20 because of the rain, but we can’t pass the extra cost to customers. Many shoppers have gone to their villages for Puja, so we’re selling at a loss.
