Egg price continues to soar

Winter vegetables remain dearer

The price of eggs has gone up further in the city’s kitchen market this week. Traders have blamed the tight supply for the rise in the price.

The price has shot up by 10.5 per cent—from Tk 9.5 to Tk 10.5.

Even though some early winter vegetables have reached up the kitchen markets, their prices are too high.

In most of the kitchen markets and super shops, a dozen of eggs now cost around Tk 125–135. Egg traders cite the recent power tariff hike and rains for the soaring prices of the protein-rich food.

The upward trend will continue in the coming months as egg production is likely to be lower by 25-30 per cent this year, say the traders.

Speaking to The Independent, Tahir Ahmed, president of Bangladesh Egg Producers’ Association (BEPA), said over 15,000 of the small- and medium- sized poultry farms across the country have shut down their farms after incurring huge losses last year.

Besides, rising prices of poultry feed and medicine, electricity tariff hike and downtrend of egg prices have forced poultry farmers to wind down their production, he added.

He also said the price of egg declined to a nine-year low in 2017 to just Tk 4-4.5 a piece at the farm level against the production cost of Tk 6. Egg production may plummet by 15–20 per cent this year against the annual production of 12 billion pieces, he added.

Meanwhile, winter vegetables have started arriving in the capital’s kitchen markets, but their prices have remained high over the week.

Traders say the supply of early varieties of winter vegetables, including cauliflower, cabbage, bean, radish and spinach, has started increasing. However, they are still inadequate compared to the demand, they add.

They also say vegetable prices would come down in the coming weeks after the harvesting season of the winter varieties starts.

Cauliflowers and cabbages weighing around 500–700gm were retailing at Tk 40–50 a piece and Tk 35 a piece, respectively, yesterday at the Jhigatola kitchen market in the city.

Radish, bean and spinach were being sold for Tk 40–50 a kg, Tk 100–130 a kg and Tk 120 a kg,

respectively, yesterday.

Aubergine was selling for Tk 60–90 a kg, bitter gourd for Tk 60–70, okra for Tk 70, papaya for Tk 25, cucumber for Tk 50 and tomato for Tk 100–120.

The price of green chilli shot up by Tk 20 a kg. The item was being sold for Tk 140–160 a kg yesterday.

Some vegetables have also become dearer during the week, with pointed gourd, sponge gourd, ridge gourd, long bean and bitter gourd selling between Tk 40 and

Tk 70 a kg—a price rise of Tk 5–10.

Similarly, the prices of onion and ginger have declined slightly. The price of local onion dropped by Tk 4–5 a kg and that of ginger by Tk 5–10.

Indian onions were sold for Tk 35–40 per kg, while the local variety was priced at Tk 60–65.

 

Egg price continues to soar

Winter vegetables remain dearer

The price of eggs has gone up further in the citys kitchen market this week. Traders have blamed the tight supply for the rise in the price. The price has shot up by 10.5 per centfrom Tk 9.5 to Tk 10.5. Even though some early winter vegetables have reached up the kitchen markets, their prices are too high. In most of the kitchen markets and super shops, a dozen of eggs now cost around Tk 125135. Egg traders cite the recent power tariff hike and rains for the soaring prices of the protein-rich food. The upward trend will continue in the coming months as egg production is likely to be lower by 25-30 per cent this year, say the traders. Speaking to The Independent, Tahir Ahmed, president of Bangladesh Egg Producers Association (BEPA), said over 15,000 of the small- and medium- sized poultry farms across the country have shut down their farms after incurring huge losses last year. Besides, rising prices of poultry feed and medicine, electricity tariff hike and downtrend of egg prices have forced poultry farmers to wind down their production, he added. He also said the price of egg declined to a nine-year low in 2017 to just Tk 4-4.5 a piece at the farm level against the production cost of Tk 6. Egg production may plummet by 1520 per cent this year against the annual production of 12 billion pieces, he added. Meanwhile, winter vegetables have started arriving in the capitals kitchen markets, but their prices have remained high over the week. Traders say the supply of early varieties of winter vegetables, including cauliflower, cabbage, bean, radish and spinach, has started increasing. However, they are still inadequate compared to the demand, they add. They also say vegetable prices would come down in the coming weeks after the harvesting season of the winter varieties starts. Cauliflowers and cabbages weighing around 500700gm were retailing at Tk 4050 a piece and Tk 35 a piece, respectively, yesterday at the Jhigatola kitchen market in the city. Radish, bean and spinach were being sold for Tk 4050 a kg, Tk 100130 a kg and Tk 120 a kg, respectively, yesterday. Aubergine was selling for Tk 6090 a kg, bitter gourd for Tk 6070, okra for Tk 70, papaya for Tk 25, cucumber for Tk 50 and tomato for Tk 100120. The price of green chilli shot up by Tk 20 a kg. The item was being sold for Tk 140160 a kg yesterday. Some vegetables have also become dearer during the week, with pointed gourd, sponge gourd, ridge gourd, long bean and bitter gourd selling between Tk 40 and Tk 70 a kga price rise of Tk 510. Similarly, the prices of onion and ginger have declined slightly. The price of local onion dropped by Tk 45 a kg and that of ginger by Tk 510. Indian onions were sold for Tk 3540 per kg, while the local variety was priced at Tk 6065.