Staff Correspondent
The prices of eggs, chicken and vegetables increased further in the city market during the past week as their supply remained short.
Last week’s supply situation mainly deteriorated due to final phase in the Upazila election campaigns kept activities in agriculture fields and local markets countrywide dull. Transportation of goods also suffered due to elections, market watchers said.
Up by Tk 4 to Tk 6 per kilogram in a week, at Shanti Nagor Bazar on Friday beans retailed between Tk 36 and Tk 40, and tomatoes between Tk 32 and Tk 40. A medium sized cauliflower was sold at Mahakhali Bazar at Tk 25 on Friday against Tk 20 a week ago.
‘The Upazila elections in the week had affected the harvesting of vegetables and trades in local market countrywide so supplies have deteriorated further,’ said Rokon Molla a Shanti Nagor greengrocer.
Not in the week only, vegetable prices had been increasing exorbitantly in the previous two weeks as mid-December’s dense fog had affected all vegetables in the fields- be it potato or beans.
This season’s early harvesting of major winter crops- potato and onion- indicate that output this year would not be satisfactory, leaving their prices unusually high even in the mid-winter.
The daily market report of the trading corporation of Bangladesh showed potato retailed on Friday between Tk 20 and Tk 22 per kilogram and onion between Tk 30 and Tk 34. Prices rose by 62 per cent and 95 per cent up over their prices a year back.
The TCB report showed potato prices were at least Tk two less than their actual prices in the markets.
Chicken and eggs have become costlier in the past two weeks with supplies remaining much lower than demand, said market men.
Up by Tk 10 over the week and Tk 40 over a fortnight, a live broiler retailed between Tk 130 and Tk 140 per kilogram in different parts in the city on Friday.
Up by Tk 6 and Tk 12 respectively in the above mentioned period, eggs per dozen sold between Tk 78 and Tk 84 on Friday.
‘When prices of broiler declined below Tk 80 per kilogram in November-December, farmers were discouraged to raise the next batch of chickens,’ a senior official of Kazi Farms Group told New Age.
Arguing reasons on present broiler supply crisis, the poultry industry executive also claimed many day-old-chick producers suffered much during that period, which was the reason behind the present crisis.
‘Good prices now will encourage farmers and chick producers so production will rise again consequently pushing down prices,’ he predicted.
Price of rice remained somewhat stable in the week with coarse varieties of rice selling between Tk 25 and Tk 30 per kilogram and fine varieties between Tk 35 and Tk 40.
At retails non-packed soya bean and finely refined ‘super palm’ declined further by Tk five per kilogram in the week. On Monday refiners pledged to the commerce minister that price of bottled soya bean will be cut by Tk five per litre from today (Saturday).
Among other major commodities packed flour sold per kilogram between Tk 25 and Tk 26, sugar between Tk 32 and Tk 34 and red lentils of different varieties between Tk 72 and Tk 104.
Courtesy: newagebd.com
