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Prices of essentials fall to consumers’ relief


Published : 24 May 2019 09:12 PM | Updated : 01 Sep 2020 04:11 AM

For over two weeks in a row, prices of vegetables, eggs and broiler chicken are gradually decreasing in the capital’s kitchen markets, bringing satisfaction to the consumers. However, prices of garlic, ginger and lentil rose slightly. Prices of Ramadan essentials like gram, lentils, green chili, cucumber and onion remained like those in the past week, while prices of grocery items remained stable.

The scenario was revealed in the capital’s Karwan Bazar, Rampura and Malibagh kitchen markets. At vegetable markets, per kilogram (kg) green chili was selling as in the past week at Tk 80, papaya Tk 50, cucumber Tk 30, carrot Tk 40-50, tomato Tk 40, lemon Tk 20-40 (four pieces), brinjal Tk 40-50, bitter gourd Tk 40-50, okra Tk 40, gourd Tk 50-60 and multitude Tk 40-50 per kg.

Karwan Bazar vegetable trader Ibrahim said, due to adequate supply of vegetables, prices of almost all items reduced at the wholesale markets. Prices will fall further, when new vegetables start arriving in the market. Per kg local onion was also selling at Tk 30 like in the previous week, while imported onion, based on quality was Tk 20-24. Garlic price slightly rose to sell at Tk 130, which was Tk 120 per kg last week, while ginger price was found also high at Tk 130.

Meanwhile, broiler chicken was selling at slightly lower than in the past week, Tk 135-145 per kg, while red layer chicken price suddenly rose and was Tk 180-200, Pakistani chicken was Tk 240-250 per kg, and local chicken, Tk 350-400. Beef and mutton were selling at Tk 525 and Tk 750 per kg as fixed by the government, boulder beef was Tk 500 per kg, buffalo meat was Tk 480.

In the fish market, prices of fishes were also found like those in the previous week. Chital fish was selling at Tk 500-550 per kg, Awn fish, Tk 650-700, Rui-Katla Tk 300-600 per kg, and tilapia, Tk 150-200, Boal fish, Tk 700-900, Pangas, Tk 180-250, Pabda, Tk 600, and Shing, Tk 400-600. About the fish price, Karwan Bazar fish traders informed this correspondent that there is no possibility of fish price decreasing, as a fishing ban is already imposed.

Prices of rice and other grocery items remained stable. On visits to the above mentioned kitchen markets, it was found that gram was selling at Tk 78-84 per kg, khesari dal Tk 65-70, lentil Tk100-110. Egg price was also found as it was in the previous week. While visiting the above mentioned kitchen market, this correspondent also found the existence of the 52 substandard food products that were banned recently.

Traders say, the manufacturers are yet to take back all the products, and till then, the former said they cannot but keep the products in the stores. Mentionable, the High Court on Sunday issued a directive to the proper authorities to remove 52 food items from the market immediately as these local brands failed to ensure quality tests of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI).