The prices of most of the vegetables increased by Tk 10 in the city’s kitchen markets due to a supply shortage amid a three-day blockade programme enforced by the BNP-led opposition alliance across the country. Traders said that transports remained almost suspended from Monday night in fear of vandalism and torching but a few number of trucks transported perishable goods including vegetables at high fares.
‘Due to the high truck fares and difficult transportation pushed up the prices of vegetables on the market,’ Bangladesh Kanchamal Arrot Malik Samiti president Emran Master told New Age on Thursday.
He said that this year both the acreage and the production of winter vegetables were higher than those in the last year but consumers were paying more as transportation had been disrupted due to the political turmoil.
The prices of bean, cauliflower, cabbage, aubergine, okra, bitter gourd and papaya increased by Tk 10 a kg in the last two days. Bean was selling at Tk 60-80 a kilogram, cauliflower at Tk 40 a piece, cabbage at Tk 30 a piece, aubergine at Tk 60 a kg, okra at Tk 70 a kg, bitter gourd at Tk 60 a kg and papaya at Tk 20 a kg on Thursday.
Green chilli price increased by Tk 20 a kg and it was retailing at Tk 100 a kg on the day.
Traders said although the prices of other commodities remained stable, consumers would feel the impact of the supply chain disruption on the items within few days.
‘Prices of the other commodities have not gone up as there is stock of the items,’ Shambazar Krishi Panno Arrot Bonik Samiti joint secretary Mosharrof Hossain told New Age.
Consumers are facing instant impact of the supply disruption on the prices of vegetables and they will feel the impact on the grocery items within a week, he added.
-With New Age input
