Vegetable prices still not reflecting season
Winter is widely held as the season for vegetables. As supply of vegetables floods kitchen markets, prices come down drastically. But this year, the economics is yet to work out in Chattogram.
Contrary to expectations, most vegetables are still selling for over Tk 40 per kg, remaining out of reach of common people.
“Prices of vegetables remain high throughout the year except for winter. Lower-income people like us eagerly wait for this time to these delicacies, but the prices are yet to come within our reach this season,” said Md Rashed, a rickshaw-puller in Chawkbazar Kitchen Market.
However, traders assured that as supplies keep increasing, prices will be going down.
“Supplies are coming in from southern Chattogram as well as many other districts and prices are expected to fall over time,” Md Yasin, president of Karnaphuli Kitchen Market, told this correspondent.
Visits to Chawkbazar, Kazir Dewri, Bahaddarhat and Karnaphuli Kitchen markets yesterday confirmed this. The prices of vegetables have reduced in these markets in the last one week.
A kg of cauliflower sold at Tk 45-50 yesterday whereas it had been selling at Tk 55-60 last week, said traders and marketers. Price of cabbage also decreased, from Tk 45-50 last week to Tk 40 per kg yesterday.
A kg of brinjal sold at Tk 40-45 yesterday whereas it went for Tk 50-55 last week. Beans sold at Tk 60-65 per kg compared to Tk 70-80 last week. A kg of okra was sold at Tk 50-60 compared to Tk 70 last week.
Bitter gourd sold at Tk 65-70 per kg compared to Tk 80 last week. A kg of tomato went for Tk 90-100 compared to Tk 120 last week.
Manju Sawdagor, a wholesaler of city’s Reazuddin Bazar, said prices would go down further in the days to come.
But this one week of price reduction are yet to appease consumers. “This is the only season when we buy vegetables without worrying about monthly budgets. But prices are still too high,” said Sushanta Paul, a retired schoolteacher.
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