Fish, meat costlier, veg prices drop

The prices of meat and fish are soaring in kitchen markets of Chittagong city as frequent hartals caused a supply crunch, whereas some vegetables prices dropped, said consumers and sellers.
Beef was being sold for Tk 280 and mutton for Tk 380 a kg at Reazuddin Bazaar, a large kitchen market of the city, yesterday but just last week they were selling for Tk 250 and Tk 340 a kg.
The price of a large hilsa fish went up to Tk 1,200 from Tk 700, while the price of rohu fish rose to Tk 300 from Tk 220.
Homemaker Yasmin Sultana at Kazir Dewry kitchen market said, “Fish prices are going out of our buying capability.”
A large bhetki (Barramundi) fish was being sold for Tk 600, at least Tk 100 more than last week.
The prices of chanda fish (glass-perchlet) shot up to Tk 800 per kg from Tk 650 and prawn to Tk 700 per kg from Tk 500 in the same period.
The vegetables markets had a different picture.
Traders claimed that they incurred losses because they had to sell off perishable vegetables being unable to send them to other districts.
“We bought vegetables at high prices but sold at low prices because all the items were perishable,” said Md Salim, a vegetable trader of Reazuddin Bazaar.
M Saifuddin, general secretary of Reazuddin Bazaar Wholesaler Association, said, “Traders are incurring losses as they are forced to sell their perishable items cheaply.”
The prices of chicken and commodities like garlic, ginger and onion were dropping.
However, a cabbage was being sold for Tk 15 at Reazuddin Bazaar yesterday while potatoes at Tk 18 a kg, tomatoes Tk 15, cucumbers Tk 30 and pumpkins at Tk 20 a kg, which were the same a week ago.