Following a few weeks of the continuous price hike of essential commodities, prices of green chilli, onion, and some other vegetables showed a downward trend on Friday, but with potato prices still high.
Green chillies were selling at Tk 150 to Tk 200 per kilogram (kg). Meanwhile, though the price of some vegetables has come down by Tk 5 to Tk 10 per kg, potatoes still sold at Tk 45 per kg in the retail market. The price of rice remained the same.
Visiting capital's different kitchen market in the capital, this reporter collected such price updates from the wholesalers and retailers.
In the capital's Karwan Bazar Kitchen market, local onions were selling at Tk 65 to Tk 70, and Chinese onion, Tk 60 per kg. However, the quantity of imported onions in the market is very low. In the retail market, local onions are selling at Tk 90 kg, while imported onions are selling at Tk 60 to Tk 70 kg. Besides, Chinese ginger is selling at Tk 230 per kg, Chinese garlic at Tk 85 to Tk 90 and local garlic selling at Tk 110 per kg. Besides, potatoes are selling at Tk 35 to Tk 36 per kg in the wholesale market and in the retail market it is Tk 45.
Among the vegetables, brinjal is selling at Tk 60 per kg, sponge gourd at Tk 50, string bean at Tk 60, parwal at Tk 50, tomato at Tk 100 and carrot at Tk 60 while green chillies at Tk 200 per kg.
On the other hand, papaya sold at Tk 40, okra at Tk 60, bean at Tk 60, and bitter gourd at Tk 60 per kg, cauliflower Tk 50 per piece, and gourd Tk 60 piece.
Rampura Kitchen market trader Ibrahim said , "Few vegetable prices had declined, but most of them are still selling at higher prices.” When the prices would return to normal, he could not say.
Meanwhile, the price of rice in the market has remained the same as last week. Although the government has fixed the price of rice at the wholesale level or at the mill gate, rice is selling at the previous price in the market.
In the retail market, Miniket is now selling at Tk 55 to Tk 60 per kg, Atash is at Tk 48 to Tk 50 and Nazirshail at Tk 60 to Tk 62 per kg. In the wholesale market, the price of miniket rice per sack (50 kg) is Tk 2750 to Tk 2800, atashTk and Nazirshail Tk 2,300 to Tk 3,000 based on quality.
On the other hand, broiler chicken prices remained the same as last week’s Tk 135 per kg, local chicken per kg, Tk 450, Sonali chicken is Tk 250. On the other hand, beef sold at Tk 600 and mutton at Tk 900 per kg.
Meanwhile, sources in the Commerce Ministry said that a team comprising several ministries including the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Food, City Corporation and District Administration monitors the market every morning. The team is instructed to keep a price list in each market, and the traders to keep the price of the product as per the price list.