United News of Bangladesh

Old stocks of bottled soybean oil are selling at the newly fixed higher price in Dhaka's retail markets on Friday, even though fresh supplies carrying the revised price have yet to reach most shops, traders and consumers said. The Ministry of Commerce recently raised the price of bottled soybean oil by Tk 5 per litre. A visit to several markets in the capital, including Malibagh, Motijheel, Shantinagar, Rampura, Badda and Vatara, found that new consignments of soybean oil have not yet arrived, but retailers were charging Tk 204 per litre instead of the earlier Tk 199. Traders said though the price printed on the bottles remains lower, they are charging the new rate to offset losses from reduced commissions offered by oil companies, effectively passing on the increase before new stock arrives. Consumers complained that one-litre bottles of soybean oil are unavailable in most shops, forcing them to buy costlier two-litre or five-litre bottles instead. Vegetable prices fall While the edible oil market remains unsettled, vegetable prices have eased. Gourd, pointed gourd (potol), ridge gourd (jhinga), sponge gourd (chichinga) and okra (dherosh) are selling for Tk 60-80 per kg depending on quality and location. Green chilli prices have also dropped sharply, from around Tk 250 per kg a few days ago to Tk 100-120 per kg. Round brinjal, however, remains expensive at Tk 150 per kg, up from Tk 120 last week. Tomatoes are selling for Tk 120 per kg and carrots at Tk 150 per kg. Meat, fish prices largely unchanged Chicken, beef and mutton prices remained mostly stable. Broiler chicken is selling for Tk 180-200 per kg, Sonali chicken at Tk 320-350 per kg, and local (deshi) chicken at Tk 650-750 per kg. Beef is being sold at Tk 780-820 per kg and mutton at Tk 950-1,100 per kg. Most fish continue to sell at elevated prices. Despite adequate supply, large hilsa is being sold at Tk 2,200-2,500 per kg, medium-sized hilsa at Tk 1,800-2,000 per kg, and smaller hilsa at Tk 1,200-1,400 per kg. Prawn prices also remain high, with golda prawn selling for Tk 1,000-1,200 per kg, bagda prawn at Tk 800-900 per kg, and small prawns at Tk 1,000-1,100 per kg. Rui and katla fish are selling for Tk 380-450 per kg, pabda at Tk 600-800 per kg, poa fish at Tk 600-650 per kg, farmed climbing fish at Tk 500 per kg, and local climbing fish at Tk 1,200 per kg. Retailers expressed hope that prices will ease further once supply improves in the coming days, while consumers called for stricter and more regular market monitoring.

Vegetable growers in Jashore district are working overtime to hit the winter market early and get a good price and add an extra flavour to Bengali cuisine. The crop fields in Churamonkati, Satmile, Barinagar, Hoibatpur, Kashimpur, Bandabila, Lebotala, Nongorpur and Isali union of Sadar upazila, the hub of vegetable farming in the district, are emerging green with winter delicacies like cauliflower, cabbage, beans, radish, bottle gourds and a variety of spinach.   Read Bangladesh, Somalia to establish cooperation on contract farming According to official sources 60 per cent of the country's total vegetable harvest comes from Jashore. After meeting the local demand the vegetables are supplied to other parts of the country. Although the farmers have blamed unseasonal rain for the delay in early winter vegetable cultivation and its soaring prices, some farmers have already succeeded in taking their produced items in the local market aiming to earn more money. Read Agricultural Loans in Bangladesh: Banks Offering Loans to Farmers and Farms According to the District Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), as the Robi season started in mid-October, the vegetable growers in the district have already brought their land under cultivation which will continue until mid-March. Already the authorities concerned have set a target of bringing 16,730 hectares of land under vegetable cultivation. Of these, winter vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, bean, radish, red spinach and green spinach have been cultivated in some 4,135 hectares of land of the district. Read Seaweed farming can transform Bangladesh’s blue economy: Experts During a tour of the areas this UNB correspondent found that the farmers are passing a busy time in cultivating vegetables in Satmile, Churamonkati, Barinagar, Hoibatpur, Kashimpur, Bandabila, Lebotala, Nongorpur and Isali union of Sadar upazila. Kamal Hossain, a vegetable grower of Bagdanga village in Churamankati in Sadar upazila, said “All kinds of winter vegetables are grown here. As during the peak season, the price of vegetables drops. I have brought my 2.5 bighas of land under cauliflower and cabbage cultivation early to get a higher price.” Read IFAD, govt start distributing HVG inputs, processing equipment to smallholder farmers “I hope I can harvest the winter vegetables before the month of Agrahayana,” he said.

As Muslims worldwide embark on the holy month of Ramadan amid the Covid pandemic, soaring vegetable prices in the kitchen markets of Dhaka threaten to sour the festive spirit for the residents of the city.  Also read: Prices in kitchen markets on the up ahead of Ramadan The prices of aubergine, cucumber, bitter gourd, ladies finger, zucchini, carrot, pointed gourd (patal), arum and green chili have all drastically shot up over the past week in the kitchen markets of the capital, derailing the household budget of many residents who are already hit by the Covid-induced economic slowdown. While residents blame the government for its failure to rein in the rates in the kitchen markets during the festive season, traders attribute the surge to short supply amid the Covid pandemic and rise in demand during Ramadan. A reality check by UNB on Tuesday revealed that traders at several city markets were selling aubergine for Tk70-80 a kg, cucumber for Tk80, bitter gourd for Tk70, ladies finger for Tk60-70, green chili for Tk80, zucchini for Tk60, carrot for Tk60, pointed gourd for Tk60-65, arum at Tk50-55 and yardlong bean for Tk60 a kg. Also read:Govt reschedules office timing for Ramadan According to the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) data, on April 12, the price of each kg of potato increased by 10.53 percent, onion by 4 percent, garlic by 14.29 percent, local dried pepper by 11.11 percent and the imported one by 3.85 percent, ginger by 29.41 percent and a hali egg by 6.90 percent as compared to the last week.

Rice prices in Dhaka have increased by 28.06 percent over the past year despite adequate reserve and import of the staple, putting extra pressure on the people hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

The prices of some winter vegetables remained high in the city’s kitchen markets on Tuesday.