Weekly Wet Market: Veg prices hold steady, onion spikes shake

Muhammad Ayub Ali :

The capital’s kitchen markets remained mostly stable this week, with steady vegetable supplies keeping prices largely unchanged, while onions spiked sharply due to a temporary supply shortage.

However, the onion market bucked the trend, with prices jumping by around Tk40 per kg to Tk 120 over the past seven days.

Traders blamed the spike on a temporary supply shortage but expressed confidence that prices would decline as newly harvested onion stocks begin to arrive.

A survey across major markets, including Jatrabari and Karwan Bazar on Friday, confirmed steady vegetable prices.

Onion retailer Hamid Ali said the recent rise was only a short-term shock. “New onions are coming in, so we expect prices to fall next week,” he said.

Common vegetables saw stable trading. Beans were selling at Tk60–70 per kg, tomatoes at Tk100, carrots at Tk120, radishes at Tk30–40, and cauliflower at Tk30–40 per piece. Cabbage was priced at Tk40–50 each, while gourds ranged between Tk30 and Tk50 per piece.

Summer varieties such as jhinga cost Tk50 per kg, bitter gourd and barbati Tk50–60, brinjal Tk60, kachur lati Tk50–60, patal Tk50, chichinga Tk40, and dhundal Tk40 per kg. Green chillies held steady at Tk100–120 per kg, papaya sold at Tk20–30, sweet pumpkin at Tk30, and cucumber between Tk50–70 depending on type.

Leafy greens also remained affordable. Red spinach was priced at Tk5–15 per bunch, gourd and pooni spinach at Tk40, kalmi spinach Tk2–20, and data spinach Tk2–40. Potatoes were Tk20 per kg. Lemons cost Tk20–40 per piece, coriander leaves Tk50–250 per kg, raw bananas Tk40, and pumpkins around Tk40 each.

Poultry prices showed slight variation with golden cock chicken selling at Tk290 per kg, up Tk10, golden hybrid at Tk260, red layer at Tk300, white layer at Tk290, broiler at Tk170, and local chickens at Tk570–580 per kg.

Fish prices varied by type and size. Hilsa ranged from Tk1,000 to Tk2,400 per kg depending on weight. Rui sold for Tk400–550, mrigal at Tk350–400, pangas at Tk200–230, shrimp at Tk800–1,400, and tilapia at Tk220 per kg. Premium varieties like domestic horn fish and tengra commanded Tk1,000–1,200 and Tk600–800 respectively.

Meat prices stayed firm, with beef at Tk750–780 per kg, beef liver at Tk780, and mutton at Tk1,200 per kg. Essential kitchen items also maintained steady rates: local ginger sold at Tk140–160 per kg, imported ginger at Tk200, local garlic at Tk100, and imported garlic at Tk180. Lentils ranged from Tk110–180 per kg across varieties.

Eggs were selling at Tk130 per dozen for red eggs and Tk210 for duck eggs, while rice prices remained unchanged with miniket at Tk85–92 per kg and Nazirshail at Tk84–90.
Overall, the week’s market activity reflected price stability across key essentials — with onions being the lone exception, expected to normalize as fresh supply improves.