Continuous rain and floods in different parts of the country have unsettled the capital's kitchen markets. Prices of almost all vegetables, fish, eggs, onions, green chillies and most other essentials have risen.

A visit to the Rampura, Khilgaon, Taltala and Malibagh kitchen markets found that most goods had risen by Tk 20 to as much as Tk 200 a kg within a week. People on low and fixed incomes are struggling, and many cannot buy what they need.

At Taltala market, Zahurul Islam was buying chillies. When he asked for Tk 20 worth, the seller, Enamul, looked a little embarrassed and said: "100 grams of chillies is Tk 30. How much can I give you for Tk 20?" He then weighed out 70 grams into a small polythene bag.

"Only a few days ago 250 grams of chillies cost Tk 30. Now it's down to 100 grams. In this country everything happens overnight," Zahurul said.

The seller said green chillies had been selling at Tk 280 to Tk 300 a kg since the day before, up from Tk 200 two days earlier and Tk 100 to Tk 120 before the rain and floods, an increase of about Tk 200 a kg. Van sellers outside the market were asking Tk 70 a quarter kilo, which works out at Tk 280 a kg.

Apart from papaya at Tk 40 a kg and pointed gourd at Tk 60, no vegetable was below Tk 80 a kg, and most were around Tk 100. At Rampura market, aubergine sold for Tk 100 to Tk 150, ridge gourd and snake gourd for Tk 80 to Tk 100 and bitter gourd for Tk 120. Cucumber and carrot were Tk 120 to Tk 140.

A few days ago onions sold for Tk 35 to Tk 40 a kg depending on quality, and neighbourhood vans offered three kilograms for Tk 100. Rain and floods have now pushed the price up by as much as Tk 25 at a stroke.

Good-quality sorted onions now sell at retail for Tk 60 a kg, and medium or smaller onions for Tk 50 to Tk 55. At wholesale, a palla (five kilograms) of good onions sells for Tk 260 to Tk 280, against Tk 200 to Tk 220 last week.

Trader Rafiqul Islam said onions reach Dhaka mainly from Pabna, Faridpur and Kushtia, but after several days of continuous rain prices are high at the source markets. "We are buying at higher prices, so we have no choice but to sell for more than before," he said.

Farm eggs are selling for Tk 140 a dozen, up from Tk 130 a few days ago and Tk 120 a week and a half to two weeks ago. Broiler chicken has risen by Tk 20 a kg to Tk 190 to Tk 210, and Sonali chicken costs Tk 350 to Tk 380 a kg.

Rui of two to two and a half kilograms sold for Tk 350 to Tk 380 a kg until recently; sellers are now asking Tk 400 to Tk 450. They say several days of heavy rain and sudden floods in different regions have hit fish supply.

It is not just rui: almost every fish, from tilapia to pangas, is affected. With supply down, prices have risen by at least Tk 20 to Tk 200 a kg within a few days, leaving ordinary buyers very uneasy.

Anisur Rahman, a private-sector employee, said angrily: "Everything is already expensive. Now fish prices have gone up too, using the rain as an excuse. It is becoming hard for ordinary people like us to survive."

Tilapia and pangas, the staples of low- and middle-income families, have risen by Tk 20 to Tk 30 a kg. Tilapia sells for Tk 240 to Tk 260 a kg and pangas for Tk 220 to Tk 250.

Farmed shrimp costs Tk 900 to Tk 1,200 a kg, Tk 100 more than last week, and pabda sells for Tk 400 to Tk 450 a kg. With hilsa supply low, a one-kilogram hilsa costs Tk 1,600 to Tk 1,800.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.