Prices for potatoes varied from Tk16 to Tk22 per kg at this time last year.
News Desk : dhakamirror.com
Despite the presence of both new and old potatoes in the market, potato prices have soared by 229% compared to late December last year.
According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), the selling price for both new and old potatoes has now reached Tk60-65 per kilogramme in the city kitchen market, which marks an alarming 44% hike in prices compared to the past month alone.
Meanwhile, potato prices ranged from Tk16-22 per kg during the same time last year.
Visiting several kitchen markets like Kallyanpur, Moghbazar, and Hatirpool in the capital on Friday (29 December), our correspondent witnessed a grim picture.
New potatoes are now fetching prices ranging between Tk70-80 per kg, while old potatoes are not being sold at Tk60-70 per kg.
The shopkeepers in these markets say this surge starkly contrasts the usual market trends during mid-December when new potatoes enter the market resulting in a decline in prices.
“New potatoes are being sold at Tk70 per kg. Last year, during this period, I sold new potatoes for Tk40 per kg and old ones for Tk20 per kilogram,” said Mohammad Anwar Hossain, a seller from Kallyanpur.
Another seller Rejwan Sikder from Moghbazar said, “Usually, vegetable and potato prices drop during winter, but this year, due to last year’s inflation, vegetables are being sold at double the price. Even now, the price of one kilogram of beans is Tk70.”
The onion market is also experiencing a similar trend, with desi onion prices ranging between Tk80-100 per kg, while old local onions are selling for an even higher rate, ranging from Tk140-150 per kg.
With government interventions in September, potato prices were fixed at Tk35-36 per kg for retail sales and Tk26-27 per kg for wholesale, while local onions were set at Tk64-65 taka per kg.
However, despite the commerce ministry’s stringent measures to regulate the prices of staple items such as potatoes, onions, and eggs, shopkeepers across the country were boldly flouting the government-fixed rates.
– Input from TBS was used in this article.
