The price of onion hit Tk 120 a kilogram again on the retail markets in the city due to a supply chain disruption across the country amid non-stop blockade enforced by the opposition political parties. After a month-long volatile situation in the onion market, the price of the item had showed a downtrend two weeks ago when the price had come down to Tk 60 a kg.The price of onion increased by Tk 50 a kg over the week due to countrywide continuous blockade.
The local variety of onion was selling at Tk 120 a kg in the city’s kitchen markets while the imported variety was selling at Tk 100-Tk 110 a kg on Friday.
Traders said that the frequent blockade made the fresh crisis in the market otherwise there is no cause to increase price of the item as the harvest season of onion has already started across the country and also in several provinces in India.
‘Now Indian traders are ready to export huge quantity of onion to Bangladesh as their production is sufficient, but we could not import due to hartal and blockade,’ said Abul Kalam Azad, an onion importer at Shambazar.
He said that importers were in fear of huge loss as hundreds of onion laden trucks were stuck at Hili, Bhomra, Shonamosjid and Benapole land ports for seven days.
Azad said a few number of trucks left the ports to Dhaka on Thursday night and Friday morning but the quantity of the item was very little compared to the demand.
He said that uninterrupted transportation only could ease down the price of onion.
The price of ginger increased by Tk 40 a kg due to supply shortage and was selling at Tk 200 a kg while the local variety was selling at Tk 180 a kg on Friday.
The prices of vegetables remained stable.
Bean was retailing at Tk 40-60 a kilogram, cauliflower at Tk 40 a piece, cabbage at Tk 30 a piece, aubergine at Tk 50 a kg, okra at Tk 60 a kg, bitter gourd at Tk 50 a kg, cucumber at Tk 50 a kg, carrot at 60 a kg, tomato Tk 120 a kg and papaya at Tk 20 a kg on the day.
The price of green chilli increased by Tk 20 a kg and was selling at Tk 100 a kg on Friday.
The price of egg remained unchanged and it was selling at Tk 28 a hali (four pieces) on Friday.
The price of potato remained unchanged and it was retailing at Tk 20 a kg. Sugar was selling at Tk 48-Tk 50 a kg.
The price of local red lentil remained unchanged and the item was retailing at Tk 115 a kg on the day.
The price of garlic remained unchanged and it was selling at Tk 90 a kg on Friday while the local one was retailing at Tk 80 a kg.
The price of broiler decreased by Tk 10 a kg and it was selling at Tk 115-120 a kg on Friday.
The price of bottled soya bean oil (five litres) remained unchanged and it was selling at Tk 570-Tk 585 on the city’s kitchen markets. The unpacked soya bean oil was retailing at Tk 112-115 a kg.
Rohita was selling at Tk 250–Tk 300 a kg on Friday, pangas at Tk 180–Tk 250 a kg and tilapia at Tk 160–Tk 200 a kg, depending on their size and quality.
The prices of beef and mutton remained steady. Beef was selling at Tk 280 a kg and mutton at Tk 450 a kg on Friday.
The coarse variety of rice was retailing at Tk 35 a kg on Friday while fine varieties of BR-28, miniket and najirshail rice were retailing at Tk 42-Tk 45 a kg, Tk 48-Tk 50 a kg and Tk 52-Tk 56 a kg respectively.
-With New Age input
