The prices of beef, onion and garlic increased in the city’s kitchen markets over the week as the demand for the items increased ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, traders said on Friday.
They said the price of cow had already went up across the country as farmers and traders were getting preparation to start selling and buying sacrificial animals and the regular market witnessed a shortage of cows.
They also said the prices of onion and garlic went up as consumers started to buy the items in large quantity on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha.
The price of beef increased by Tk 20 a kg and the item was selling at Tk 320 a kg on Friday.
Mohammed Alam, a trader at Rampura kitchen market, told New Age that shortage of cows occurred in the market as most of the traders and farmers were waiting for the market of sacrificial animals that would start a week before Eid-ul-Azha.
Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest festival of Muslims, this year is likely to be observed in the country on October 6.
The prices of onion increased by Tk 5 kg and garlic increased by Tk 20 a kg over the week.
The local variety of onion was selling at Tk 45 a kg while the imported onion was selling at Tk 38-Tk 42 a kg on Friday.
The prices of both the local and imported garlic increased by Tk 20 a kg and were selling at Tk 90 a kg and Tk 100 a kg respectively on the day.
Habibur Rahman, a retailer at Shantinagar Kitchen market, said that they were not responsible for the price hike. The wholesalers increased price of the items ahead of Eid, he said.
‘There is no shortage of the items in the market and we do not know why the prices of the items have increased,’ the retailer said.
It is a common phenomenon for the wholesalers to increase the prices of onion and garlic ahead of every Eid-ul-Azha, Habib added.
Ginger price remained unchanged and the commodity was retailing at Tk 200-Tk 240 a kg.
The prices of vegetables remained stable over the week.
Aubergine was selling at Tk 50 a kg, tomato at Tk 110 a kg, cucumber at Tk 40 a kg, okra at Tk 40 a kg, bean at Tk 40 a kg and bitter gourd at Tk 40 a kg in the city’s kitchen markets on Friday.
The price of green chilli remained unchanged and the item was selling at Tk 140 a kg on the day.
Broiler price decreased by Tk 15 a kg and the item was selling at Tk 120-Tk 130 a kg on Friday while mutton was selling at Tk 460-Tk 480 a kg over the week.
The prices of unpacked soya bean and super palm oil remained stable and the items were retailing at Tk 110 a kg and Tk 80 a kg respectively.
The price of bottled soya bean oil remained unchanged and it was selling at Tk 540-Tk 560 a five-litre container in the city’s kitchen markets.
The price of egg remained unchanged and the item was selling at Tk 32 a hali (four pieces) in the city on Friday.
Potato price decreased by Tk 2 a kg and the item was selling at Tk 22-Tk 25 a kg over the week.
Sugar price remained unchanged and the item was selling at Tk 45-Tk 47 a kg on Friday.
The price of red lentil imported from Turkey and Canada remained unchanged and the item was selling at Tk 90 a kg on Friday.
The fine variety of red lentil was selling at Tk 130 a kg on Friday while its local variety was selling at Tk 115 a kg.
The prices of fish remained unchanged.
Rohita was selling at Tk 300-Tk 350 a kg, katla at Tk 280-Tk 350 a kg, pangas at Tk 150-Tk 200 a kg and tilapia at Tk 150-Tk 180 a kg, depending on their size and quality.
The fine varieties of miniket rice were selling at Tk 48-Tk 50 a kg while the coarse varieties were retailing at Tk 44-Tk 46 a kg.
The fine varieties of BR-28 rice were selling at Tk 42-Tk 44 a kg and the coarse varieties of parija were selling at Tk 38-Tk 40 a kg.
-With New Age input
