Vegetable prices up as rains hit supply

With the soaring price of onions, the prices of other vegetables have also skyrocketed as heavy rains and floods have damaged crops and affected transport services, disrupting supply chains across the country.
Najrul Islam, a vegetable seller in the capital’s airport area, said vegetables were not available even in the wholesale markets. “I used to go to Gazipur Chowrasta to buy vegetables for my business. A week ago, there was abundance of vegetables. But now, even if I go there at dawn, a huge rush of retailers can be seen to buy vegetables in bulk. If I go late, I have to be satisfied with vegetables like potato and lemon,” he added.
He said prices of vegetables, especially green chilli, was up yesterday by Tk. 10-50 compared to the previous week. The prevailing per kg rate of vegetables such as Brinjal is Tk. 150-160, onion Tk. 85-90, lady finger Tk. 55-60, patal Tk. 45-50, bitter gourd Tk. 50-60, green papaya Tk. 30-40, carrot Tk. 45-50, tomato Tk. 70-85 and cucumber Tk. 40-45. People were buying pumpkin for Tk. 60 per kg, which cost only Tk. 30 last week.
Most of the buyers seemed reluctant to purchase essential vegetables at inflated prices. They roamed around in the market for long before buying because there was no other alternative.
Venting his frustration, Ajgar Ali said, “I wanted to buy 1 kg of lady finger, but it was being sold for Tk. 50 at a shop. I left the shop hoping for a cheaper price. I went to five or six other shops, but it was priced the same. Later, I purchased 500 grams of lady finger. I need vegetables, but at the same time I have to survive the month on a limited amount of money.”
The difference in prices between the retail and wholesale markets is Tk. 5 - 20. Green chilli was being sold for Tk. 140-145 per kg yesterday at the Kawran Bazaar wholesale market, while retailers were selling it for Tk. 155-160.
Hafizul Islam, a wholesale trader in Kawran Bazaar, who sells green chilli, said, “Excessive rains have damaged the crop. It will take a month or more for the plants to grow again. So, the price of green chillies will continue to remain high till the time fresh produce doesn’t come to the market.”
Against such unstable market condition, the government is mulling over for a meeting with concerned officials on August 31 at the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) with Commerce Minister, Tofail Ahmed, in the chair, said officials of the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) yesterday. The meeting will be attended by 50 representatives, including importers, retailers, wholesalers and government officials, said the MOC official.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), Director General, Abul Hossain Mian, said, “Increase in the price of chillies is reasonable as many
croplands have gone under water, but in the case of onions I must say that there are some dishonest traders, who are fanning the propaganda that soaring price in India has a direct impact on our market.”
“We have enough stocks and onions from India were imported before Ramzan. So there is no shortage. There is a lack of proper monitoring on part of the government,” he added.

Vegetable prices up as rains hit supply

With the soaring price of onions, the prices of other vegetables have also skyrocketed as heavy rains and floods have damaged crops and affected transport services, disrupting supply chains across the country. Najrul Islam, a vegetable seller in the capitals airport area, said vegetables were not available even in the wholesale markets. I used to go to Gazipur Chowrasta to buy vegetables for my business. A week ago, there was abundance of vegetables. But now, even if I go there at dawn, a huge rush of retailers can be seen to buy vegetables in bulk. If I go late, I have to be satisfied with vegetables like potato and lemon, he added. He said prices of vegetables, especially green chilli, was up yesterday by Tk. 10-50 compared to the previous week. The prevailing per kg rate of vegetables such as Brinjal is Tk. 150-160, onion Tk. 85-90, lady finger Tk. 55-60, patal Tk. 45-50, bitter gourd Tk. 50-60, green papaya Tk. 30-40, carrot Tk. 45-50, tomato Tk. 70-85 and cucumber Tk. 40-45. People were buying pumpkin for Tk. 60 per kg, which cost only Tk. 30 last week. Most of the buyers seemed reluctant to purchase essential vegetables at inflated prices. They roamed around in the market for long before buying because there was no other alternative. Venting his frustration, Ajgar Ali said, I wanted to buy 1 kg of lady finger, but it was being sold for Tk. 50 at a shop. I left the shop hoping for a cheaper price. I went to five or six other shops, but it was priced the same. Later, I purchased 500 grams of lady finger. I need vegetables, but at the same time I have to survive the month on a limited amount of money. The difference in prices between the retail and wholesale markets is Tk. 5 - 20. Green chilli was being sold for Tk. 140-145 per kg yesterday at the Kawran Bazaar wholesale market, while retailers were selling it for Tk. 155-160. Hafizul Islam, a wholesale trader in Kawran Bazaar, who sells green chilli, said, Excessive rains have damaged the crop. It will take a month or more for the plants to grow again. So, the price of green chillies will continue to remain high till the time fresh produce doesnt come to the market. Against such unstable market condition, the government is mulling over for a meeting with concerned officials on August 31 at the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) with Commerce Minister, Tofail Ahmed, in the chair, said officials of the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) yesterday. The meeting will be attended by 50 representatives, including importers, retailers, wholesalers and government officials, said the MOC official. Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), Director General, Abul Hossain Mian, said, Increase in the price of chillies is reasonable as many croplands have gone under water, but in the case of onions I must say that there are some dishonest traders, who are fanning the propaganda that soaring price in India has a direct impact on our market. We have enough stocks and onions from India were imported before Ramzan. So there is no shortage. There is a lack of proper monitoring on part of the government, he added.