Online Report
The prices of onions, eggs, different vegetables, and chicken have gone up in the past seven days.
The price of onions has reached Tk 80-90 per kg, increasing by Tk 15-20 in just a week and by Tk 20-30 per kg in two weeks.
Egg prices have increased to Tk 145-150 per dozen on Friday. A week ago, it was Tk 135-140, and two weeks ago, it was Tk 120-125 per dozen.
At the same time, vegetable prices have increased by Tk 15-20 per kg in a week.
Traders say a shortage in supply due to heavy rain in the vegetable-producing areas has triggered the price rise.
Broiler and Pakistani chicken prices have also increased by Tk 15-20 per kg this week, reaching Tk 180-190 per kg and Tk 330-340 per kg respectively, traders say.
Md Saifuddin, a grocery shop owner in Rayer Bazar, Dhaka, says onion prices have been rising slowly for the past two weeks. Wholesale onion prices have gone up by Tk 7.0-8.0 per kg in a week, and by Tk 15-18 per kg in two weeks.
Ubaidur Rahman, a spice wholesaler in Mohammadpur Beribadh, says onion prices have increased a lot in local agricultural markets of Rajbari, Gopalganj, Faridpur, and Pabna. He says that big traders in these districts are holding back supply, expecting prices to rise even more. He also says that local onion production is not very good this year, which could make things worse for consumers.
According to him, imports have almost stopped now, but importing onions is necessary to manage any shortage in the market.
Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan, secretary of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, says the import prices of onions are much lower in Pakistan and India.
He says that as traders are controlling the market unfairly, the government should allow more imports now.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, the country produced 2.9 million tonnes of onions last year. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) expects the production to be 3.6 million tonnes this year.
Meanwhile, vegetable prices have sharply increased. Tomato is now Tk 180 per kg, cucumber Tk 100, long-yard bean Tk 120, teasel gourd and okra Tk 80, snake gourd and pointed gourd Tk 60-70 per kg, clocasia stems Tk 80-90, carrot Tk 150-160, and brinjal Tk 90-120 per kg. All these prices have gone up by Tk 15-20 per kg in just a week.
Green chilli prices have remained the same as last week’s high rate of Tk 240-260 per kg.
Gausul Azam, a vegetable seller at Mohammadpur Krishi Market, says rain has disrupted the supply of many vegetables. He also says that the season for some vegetables has ended as farmers are now preparing to grow early winter crops.
Prices of rice, river fish, and beef are still high and unchanged.
Economist Prof Dr. Mohammad Taj Uddin from Bangladesh Agricultural University says that food inflation started increasing in July, reaching 7.56 per cent, compared to 7.39 per cent in June. He says after rice and fish, the prices of eggs, chicken, vegetables, and daily spices like onion have also increased, which may cause food inflation to rise even more in August.
He also suggests that the government should make imports easier for the items that are becoming too expensive.