Chicken prices have risen somewhat over the week, while green chilli prices remain at an unbearable level. A visit to various markets in the capital on Friday, 5 August, found broiler chicken up by Tk 10 a kg and Pakistani cock or Sonali chicken up by as much as Tk 20 a kg. Green chillies have touched Tk 250 a kg.

Traders are selling broilers at Tk 160-165 a kg, against Tk 150-155 last week. Pakistani cock or Sonali chicken sells at Tk 280-300 a kg, against Tk 260-280 last week.

Md Niaz, a trader at Karwan Bazar, said everything in the market was dearer, and many people had run out of meat from the Eid-ul-Azha sacrifice, so demand for chicken had risen and prices were climbing.

Green chilli prices, which jumped suddenly before Eid, have risen further. Buyers now pay Tk 60-65 for a poa (quarter kilo) of green chillies, against Tk 50 last week.

Mizanur, a trader in Rampura, said chilli prices had risen over the week but eased a little on Friday compared with Thursday. "On Thursday I sold a poa of green chillies for Tk 70. Today I am selling at Tk 60. I am forced to sell at a higher price because wholesale prices have gone up," he said.

Md Milon, selling green chillies at Tk 70 a poa in Khilgaon, said supply at the wholesale market was low. "Last night I sold a poa for as much as Tk 80. But today wholesale prices have fallen, so I can sell a bit cheaper," he said.

Liton, a trader at Karwan Bazar, said rain had badly damaged chilli fields, cutting supply to the market, which was showing in prices. But chilli prices would not stay this high for long, he said.

In the vegetable market, carrots sell at Tk 120-130 a kg, against Tk 130-140 last week. While carrots have eased slightly, ripe tomatoes are unchanged from last week at Tk 80-100 a kg.

Like tomatoes, yardlong beans are unchanged at Tk 70-80 a kg. Cucumbers sell at Tk 40-50 a kg, as last week.

Aubergines sell at Tk 50-70 a kg, spiny gourd Tk 50-70, green papaya Tk 20-25 and pointed gourd Tk 20-30 a kg, all unchanged over the week.

Bitter gourd, taro stolons, ridge gourd and snake gourd are also unchanged, available at Tk 40-50 a kg. Green bananas sell at Tk 30-40 a hali (four).

In the fish market, rui sells at Tk 300-450 a kg and tilapia and pangas at Tk 160-180 a kg. Shing costs Tk 300-460 a kg, shol Tk 400-600, koi Tk 200-250 and pabda Tk 300-450 a kg. The prices of these fish have changed little since Eid.

Hilsa weighing one kilogram sells at Tk 1,200-1,300 a kg, those of 700-800 grams at Tk 700-800 a kg and those of 400-500 grams at Tk 450-500 a kg. Hilsa prices are unchanged over the week.

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