Commodity prices surge, hit low-income people hard 

Traders said damage to vegetable production due to the prolonged rain and flooding has affected the prices

Prices of commodities such as rice, vegetables, fish, and onions have increased significantly in the capital due to continuous rainfall and flooding in several districts, hitting the low-income people hard.

Traders said damage to vegetable production due to the prolonged rain and flooding has affected the prices. They fear prices may continue to rise.

Md Imran Master, president of the Bangladesh Raw Material Traders Association, on Friday told, “The supply of vegetables is 30-40% less than normal. In many areas, vegetable production has been completely destroyed by the floods.”

“Prices may rise further because the crops affected by the continuous rain and floods will not produce well. There is no immediate possibility of prices dropping as vegetable supply is expected to decrease further,” he added.

Visiting various markets in the capital on Friday, including Karwan Bazar, Mohakhali, Shahjadpur, Badda, and Rampura, this correspondent found that per kilogramme of eggplant was being sold for Tk110-130, long eggplant for Tk100-120, and bitter gourd for Tk120-140. 

The prices of these vegetables have increased by Tk20-40 per kilogram compared to last week.

Onion prices remained high, with a Tk10-15 increase over the past week. Potatoes were being sold at Tk65 per kg in retail markets, despite reports of sufficient potato production in the country.

Meanwhile,over the past two weeks, prices for almost all types of rice have increased by Tk2-4 per kg. Traders reported that rice prices in wholesale markets have increased by Tk100-200 per 50kg sack compared to before Eid. 

Prices of broiler chicken have dropped by Tk10-15 per kg compared to last week, selling for Tk170-180 per kg in retail markets on Friday and eggs were being sold for Tk140-160 per dozen.

In contrast, fish prices have increased by Tk20-30 per kg in the capital.

Low-income people suffering

Din Islam, who lives in Tejgaon with his wife and three children, struggles to make ends meet with his small tea shop as the only source of income. 

He said, “Our income is limited, but now it costs twice as much to buy groceries. We can barely manage our household, we can’t even afford fish or meat.”

Akram Hossain, who was shopping in Badda, told, “We keep hearing promises that prices will come down, but you can see the state of the market. How can people survive like this? I have a small job, and my income hasn’t increased. Green chillies cost Tk35 per 100 grams.”