Prices of foodstuff shoot up in Barisal

Prices of fruits, vegetables, fish, meat and other foodstuff have shot up within a short time. In the month of Ramzan, a section of traders has raised prices of essentials, as there is no strict monitoring of markets by the authorities here.  On a visit to the city’s markets on Friday, this reporter found brinjal was selling at Tk. 50 per kg, up from Tk. 20 last week; tomato Tk. 80, up from Tk. 20. The price of chilli has increased by Tk. 42 per kg, cucumber by Tk. 30. Breaking all previous records, ginger was selling at Tk. 160 per kg, up from Tk. 100 last week. The price of onion has increased from Tk. 18 to Tk. 42 per kg, and potato was costing Tk. 20 more; garlic was selling at Tk. 105, up from Tk. 80 per kg of last week.
In the fish market, small fish was selling at Tk. 800 per kg. It was Tk. 350 last week. The price of hilsa is Tk. 2,200 per kg,  ayre Tk. 1,000, boal Tk. 800.  
Retailers were selling rice at Tk. 1-2 more a kg, though wholesalers had not raised the price.
Among pulses, Khesari was being sold at Tk. 46 per kg, an increase of Tk. 1; local Mosur Tk. 120, imported Mosur Tk. 90; local Moog Tk. 110; imported gram Tk. 58 and local gram Tk. 62 per kg.
Beson (powder of pulses) and chickpeas, whose consumption peaks during Ramzan, was selling between Tk. 70 and Tk. 75 a kg, up by Tk. 5 in a week.
Prices of oil and sugar, however, have decreased.
The price of meat has also increased by Tk. 40-Tk. 50 a kg. Mutton was selling at Tk. 550 and beef Tk. 400. The price of Sonali broiler chicken has increased by Tk. 10 per kg and local chicken by Tk. 20 in the Barisal kitchen market.
The price of seasonal fruits, like mango, apple, grapes, dates, khurma, papaya, hog plum (amra) and pineapple, has increased by up to Tk. 50 per kg in the last 24 hours. The price rise is more in villages and remote areas.
Usually, 120 tonnes of vegetables are required by the city markets every day. During Ramadan, this goes up to 200 tonnes, said Nipendra Kumar, a wholesaler of the Barisal city vegetable market. He said the price hike is a feature of Ramadan every year.
Akkas Hosen, president of the Consumers’ Association of Bangladesh, Barisal office, said a section of wholesalers are creating an artificial crisis for earning more profit. Consumers are not protected by law, he added
Saidur Rahman Rintu, president the Barisal Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said a section of floating traders have a tendency in earn huge profit during a crisis period. The present situation is the result of that bad practice, he added.

 

Prices of foodstuff shoot up in Barisal

Prices of fruits, vegetables, fish, meat and other foodstuff have shot up within a short time. In the month of Ramzan, a section of traders has raised prices of essentials, as there is no strict monitoring of markets by the authorities here. On a visit to the citys markets on Friday, this reporter found brinjal was selling at Tk. 50 per kg, up from Tk. 20 last week; tomato Tk. 80, up from Tk. 20. The price of chilli has increased by Tk. 42 per kg, cucumber by Tk. 30. Breaking all previous records, ginger was selling at Tk. 160 per kg, up from Tk. 100 last week. The price of onion has increased from Tk. 18 to Tk. 42 per kg, and potato was costing Tk. 20 more; garlic was selling at Tk. 105, up from Tk. 80 per kg of last week. In the fish market, small fish was selling at Tk. 800 per kg. It was Tk. 350 last week. The price of hilsa is Tk. 2,200 per kg, ayre Tk. 1,000, boal Tk. 800. Retailers were selling rice at Tk. 1-2 more a kg, though wholesalers had not raised the price. Among pulses, Khesari was being sold at Tk. 46 per kg, an increase of Tk. 1; local Mosur Tk. 120, imported Mosur Tk. 90; local Moog Tk. 110; imported gram Tk. 58 and local gram Tk. 62 per kg. Beson (powder of pulses) and chickpeas, whose consumption peaks during Ramzan, was selling between Tk. 70 and Tk. 75 a kg, up by Tk. 5 in a week. Prices of oil and sugar, however, have decreased. The price of meat has also increased by Tk. 40-Tk. 50 a kg. Mutton was selling at Tk. 550 and beef Tk. 400. The price of Sonali broiler chicken has increased by Tk. 10 per kg and local chicken by Tk. 20 in the Barisal kitchen market. The price of seasonal fruits, like mango, apple, grapes, dates, khurma, papaya, hog plum (amra) and pineapple, has increased by up to Tk. 50 per kg in the last 24 hours. The price rise is more in villages and remote areas. Usually, 120 tonnes of vegetables are required by the city markets every day. During Ramadan, this goes up to 200 tonnes, said Nipendra Kumar, a wholesaler of the Barisal city vegetable market. He said the price hike is a feature of Ramadan every year. Akkas Hosen, president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, Barisal office, said a section of wholesalers are creating an artificial crisis for earning more profit. Consumers are not protected by law, he added Saidur Rahman Rintu, president the Barisal Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said a section of floating traders have a tendency in earn huge profit during a crisis period. The present situation is the result of that bad practice, he added.