The price of green chilli in Ishwardi upazila of Pabna has more than doubled in the last three days. It is now being sold at Tk 380 to Tk 400 per kg in retail markets. However, it can be bought at Tk 340 to Tk 360 per kg in the wholesale markets.
The buyers expressed their dissatisfaction over the sudden price hike of green chilli. Many people have stopped buying it. The other vegetables are also being sold at unusually high price.
When this correspondent visited the wholesale and retail markets in Ishwardi, it was seen that there is less availability of green chilli in the market. As a result, the price has been gradually increasing. However, the price of green chilli has doubled in the last three days. It is being sold at Tk 400 per kg in the retail kitchen market. Even three days ago, it was being sold at Tk 160 to Tk 180 per kg in the retail market.
However, the price suddenly increased and the buyers started to buy less green chilli due to that. Earlier, a buyer used to buy at least half kg to one kg of green chilli at a time. Now they are buying only half of that.
The vegetable sellers in the market said the green chillies are coming to Ishwardi from Chuadanga and Meherpur at present. However, the availability of green chilli in Chuadanga market has also decreased. As a result, the price has unusually increased over the last three days. Many buyers are buying less amount of green chilli.
Vegetable seller Amin Uddin said they have to buy green chilli at Tk 350 to Tk 360 per kg from the wholesale market. So, they are selling it at Tk 380 to Tk 400 per kg.
Another vegetable trader Momin Khan said the price of green chilli was a bit less before, as they used to be imported from India. However, as importing green chilli from India was stopped and there was excessive rain and flood as well, the import of green chilli in the wholesale market has decreased. So, we have to sell it at a higher price as the price of green chilli increased in the wholesale market.
A female buyer, who came to the market on Saturday morning, said I was surprised to hear that the price of green chilli is Tk 400 per kg. I will not buy green chilli in large quantities now. I will only buy the amount I need. When the price goes down, I will buy in larger quantities again.
Meanwhile, it was seen that the price of other vegetables in the market went up as well. The price of brinjal increased to Tk 100 per kg from Tk 60 per kg, bitter gourd price increased to Tk 100 per kg from Tk 60 per kg, early season beans price increased to Tk 280 per kg from Tk 150 to Tk 180 when it came to the market first, taro price increased to Tk 60 per kg form Tk 50 per kg, luffa price increased to Tk 60 per kg from Tk 40 per kg, papaya price increased to Tk 60 per kg from Tk 40 per kg and okra price increased to Tk 60 per kg from Tk 40 per kg. Moreover, the price of each piece of gourd increased to Tk 50 from Tk 30 and the price of each bundle of Malabar spinach (Puin Shak) increased to Tk 15 from Tk 10.
