Due to lack of drainage system in the low lying areas of Satkhira, there is waterlogging due to heavy rains. This affects vegetable market.
In just a week, the price of vegetables per kg has increased by 20 to 40 taka. The price of green chillies has increased three to four times. However, the prices of onions, garlic and ginger are stable. The sudden increase in vegetable prices has put ordinary buyers in trouble. In Satkhira Sultanpur Barabazar, different types of green chillies are being sold for 250 to 300 taka per kg. A week ago, the price of green chillies was 45 to 55 taka per kg. Besides, brinjal is being sold at 110 taka, tomato at 140 taka, potato at 25 taka, local ole at 120 taka, papaya at 30 to 40 taka, banana at 50 taka, carrot at 140 taka, beetroot at 70 taka, sweet pumpkin at 35 taka, kakrol at 80 taka, kachurmukhi at 50 taka, chichinga at 60 taka, jhing at 60 taka, palla at 30 taka, kewra at 40 taka, kachur lati at 60 taka and khirai at 30/35 taka is being sold at 60 taka per kg. A week ago, these vegetables were sold at a price of 10 to 30 taka per kg. However, the prices of onion, garlic and ginger are stable. In the retail market, local onion is at 50 taka, garlic at 80 to 110 taka depending on the type and ginger at 100 taka per kg. Besides, other spices are being sold at the same price as before.
Vegetable buyer Haider Ali said that in just a week, the price of each vegetable in the market has increased by 10 to 30 taka per kg. He has sought the intervention of the concerned authorities to monitor whether the price of vegetables in the market has been increased in a planned manner by reducing supply on the pretext of rain.
Aratdar Rahim Babu said that due to continuous rainfall for the past 15 days, vegetable fields in many areas of the district have been submerged in water. Sohag, a retail vegetable trader in the market, said that the continuous monsoon has caused waterlogging. Due to which the supply of vegetables in the market is low. We have to buy each vegetable at a price of 10 to 30 taka per kg more. We buy from the wholesale market and sell it at a profit of 5 to 10 taka per kg.
Wholesaler Moidul Islam said, most of our vegetable fields in Nagarghata and Dhandia areas have been submerged in water due to waterlogging caused by rain. Due to which farmers are not able to harvest vegetables from their fields. Again, vegetables from many fields are rotting in the water. If the water does not drain quickly, farmers will be severely affected. Prices will continue to increase in the market until new vegetables are harvested.
Satkhira Agriculture Extension Department Deputy Director Krishibid Saiful Islam said, a target of cultivating vegetables during the rainy season has been set on about 3,000 hectares of land in Satkhira during the current season. Vegetables have already been cultivated on 1,785 hectares of land. In the continuous rains of the last few days, 2,000 hectares of Aus paddy, paddy seedbeds and vegetables have been damaged. It will take a few more days to get information about the full damage.
