Some everyday goods have become cheaper in the capital's markets while others have risen. Lemons and cucumbers are slightly cheaper, but broiler chicken and various spices have gone up. Broiler chicken has passed Tk 200 a kg in Dhaka's retail markets.

That was the picture at various markets in Mirpur on Friday (6 March). Fish, vegetables and beef were almost unchanged, with beef selling at Tk 750 to Tk 820 a kg depending on quality.

Some prices have fallen. Onions are down Tk 10 a kg at Tk 40 to Tk 45, and green chillies are down Tk 20 a kg at Tk 120 to Tk 140.

Lemons and cucumbers were expensive in the first week of Ramadan: lemons are in demand for sherbet at iftar and cucumber is the main ingredient of salad, so both rose at the start of the fast.

Lemons then sold at Tk 60 to Tk 100 a hali (four) depending on quality, and prices were about the same last week. This week they have eased to Tk 40 to Tk 70 a hali.

Cucumbers, which sold at Tk 80 to Tk 100 a kg at the start of Ramadan, are down Tk 5 to Tk 10 this week. But in mid-Ramadan, broiler chicken, spices and several other everyday items have gone up.

Masud Karim, a vegetable seller at Mirpur 1 kitchen market, said demand for lemons, cucumbers and onions rose at the start of Ramadan. Many people bought more than they needed, so demand and prices have now eased.

Shafi Uddin, a seller at Mirpur 11 kitchen market, said most vegetables are selling at earlier prices, though aubergines are slightly cheaper.

At the start of the year broiler chicken cost Tk 160 to Tk 165 a kg. It later fluctuated between Tk 200 and Tk 230, and last week it was Tk 160 to Tk 170.

This week broiler and sonali chicken have risen by Tk 20 to Tk 30 a kg. Broiler now sells at Tk 190 to Tk 210 a kg and sonali at Tk 300 to Tk 330.

Nuruddin, a chicken seller at Mirpur 1 kitchen market, said chicken prices have been going up and down in Ramadan. "Prices were like this at the start of Ramadan too, then fell a little. We buy wholesale from Kaptan Bazar and other places. Right now prices are high in the wholesale market itself."

Another seller said chicken prices might rise once more before Eid, because many people have already started buying fish and meat ahead of the festival.

Sugar and aromatic rice have gone up slightly. Sugar is up Tk 10 a kg at Tk 100 to Tk 105, and aromatic rice has also risen a little. The spice market has started to heat up: dried plums (alubokhara) are up Tk 200 a kg at about Tk 1,000, and cumin, raisins and various nuts are up Tk 40 to Tk 80 a kg.

Buyers and sellers have also complained that supplies of bottled soybean oil have fallen for several days. Although the price has not risen, buyers say one-litre and two-litre bottles are unavailable in many shops. Sellers say dealers are supplying about one third of the oil demanded.

Monowar, a seller in Mirpur, said there were moves to raise oil prices: an artificial shortage might be created and prices raised later, or prices might be raised on the pretext of the war. He urged the new government to be strict in controlling the market from the start.

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