Veggie, onion and egg prices soar in Dhaka markets

Prices of various vegetable items have increased in the capital's kitchen markets over the past week, with traders blaming a lack of supply due to countrywide rain.

In addition, the price of locally grown onions has risen by Tk 10 to Tk 15 per kilogram, while farm eggs have become costlier by Tk 15 per dozen.

This picture of price hike was observed yesterday at several kitchen markets, including those in Mirpur-11, Kazipara, Shewrapara, Ibrahimpur Bazar, Farmgate, and Karwan Bazar.

Rakibul Hasan, who visited the Karwan Bazar kitchen market from the Begunbari area to purchase daily essentials, said he had to spend extra money on items like onions, long beans, and eggs. He noted that prices of some other essentials, such as soybean oil, remained unchanged over the week.

Trader Kalam Sheikh, who typically buys vegetables like long beans and eggplants directly from farmers in Manikganj and sells them wholesale at Karwan Bazar, said he was receiving less supply than usual.

According to him, farmers in Manikganj reported that continuous rain over the past week had submerged many vegetable fields. As a result, they were unable to harvest the produce on time, causing much of it to rot in the water. This disruption, he said, led to a supply shortage and eventually higher prices.

Yesterday, traders at various city kitchen markets were selling long beans at Tk 80 to Tk 100 per kg, up from Tk 60 to Tk 80 a week earlier.

Bitter gourds were priced at Tk 70 to Tk 100 per kg, compared to Tk 60 to Tk 80 last week.

Eggplants were being sold at Tk 60 to Tk 100 per kg, up from Tk 50 to Tk 80, while ridge gourds were selling at Tk 60 to Tk 80 per kg, compared to Tk 50 to Tk 60 last week.

Okra was priced at Tk 50 to Tk 60 per kg, an increase from Tk 40 to Tk 50 a week ago.

Meanwhile, the price of locally grown onions rose to Tk 70 per kg, up from Tk 55 to Tk 60.

Sabuj Sheikh, proprietor of wholesale onion shop Matri Bhandar at Karwan Bazar, said wholesale onion prices increased by Tk 10 to Tk 15 per kg within a week, which in turn affected retail prices. He said he primarily sources onions from farmers in Pabna and Faridpur and sells them at wholesale rates in Karwan Bazar.

Md Roni, a grocer at Shewrapara, said the price of eggs has increased by Tk 15 per dozen in the past two to three days. Yesterday, he sold farm-produced brown eggs at Tk 140 per dozen.