Winter Vegetables Arrive in Markets but Prices Remain High

At the Mohammadpur Krishi Market in the capital yesterday morning (Thursday), private company employee Akhtar Hossain was buying vegetables. A vendor asked 60 taka for each cauliflower. After a brief bargaining, Akhtar bought two cauliflowers for 50 taka each.

Speaking to the media later, he said that last year around this time, he bought cauliflower and cabbage for 30–40 taka. As it is winter, prices were expected to be lower now. However, he found the prices higher than anticipated.

Winter vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, beans, turnips and radish have now started arriving in the market. Supply is increasing daily. Yet, compared to the same period last year, vegetable prices remain higher. These observations were made after visits to Mohammadpur Krishi Market, Town Hall Market and Karwan Bazar yesterday and through conversations with vendors.

According to sellers, vegetable prices are currently high even in production areas. Farmers are getting good prices for early-harvested new vegetables. Moreover, some vegetables were damaged due to rainfall in October, and farmers are now trying to compensate for their financial losses by selling produce at higher prices. As a result, both wholesale and retail vegetable markets in Dhaka are experiencing higher rates.

A survey of the three Dhaka markets showed that yesterday each cauliflower and cabbage was selling for 40–60 taka, while beans and aubergines were priced at 100–120 taka per kilogram, and radish at 50–60 taka. Generally, at the beginning of winter, cauliflower and cabbage sell for 30–40 taka, beans for 40–60 taka, and radish for 25–30 taka. Prices usually fall further as supply increases.

Currently, tomatoes are selling for 120–140 taka per kilogram, while green chillies, bitter gourd and yardlong beans sell for 100–120 taka, okra for 60–80 taka, and pointed gourd for 50–70 taka. Vendors say these prices are also comparatively high.

Onions are now selling at 100–120 taka per kilogram, a price that has remained unchanged for a month. Importers had been demanding permission to import onions to stabilise the market. However, on Wednesday at the Secretariat, Agriculture and Home Affairs Adviser Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury told reporters that onion imports would not be allowed in order to protect farmers’ interests.

Domestic old potatoes are being sold for 25–30 taka per kilogram. After months of selling at 18–20 taka, the price has risen slightly in the past month. A limited supply of early new potatoes has also reached the market, sold at much higher prices of 140–160 taka per kilogram.

Meanwhile, the prices of fish, chicken and eggs remain stable. Yesterday broiler chicken was selling for 170–180 taka per kilogram, Sonali chicken for 280–300 taka, and a dozen farm eggs for 120–130 taka. Vendors noted that supplies of bottled soybean oil are somewhat lower at retail level.

Khaborwala/TSN