Prices of daily essentials refuse to come under control: as one falls a little, another rises. Onion has now reached Tk 100 in the capital's markets, selling at retail for Tk 95-100 a kg. Potato has risen to Tk 65 a kg, Tk 5 more than last week. Green chilli is still hot too, selling for Tk 260-300 a kg, and several other essentials remain expensive.

Ordinary people are struggling to buy these necessities, and low-income and lower-middle-class families are hard hit by the rising prices.

That was the picture in markets in Rampura, Malibagh and Moghbazar in the capital on Friday (28 June).

In these markets onion sold for Tk 90 a kg last week, so the price has risen by Tk 5-10 in a week. Selected onions, somewhat larger, now sell for Tk 100 a kg at retail shops, while ordinary onions are available for Tk 95.

Supplies of onion imported from India are low; only a few shops had imported onion, which is selling at the same price.

Onion seller Sirajul Islam said: "The closer the onion season (the supply of local onion) comes to its end, the more the price rises. It is impossible to say where it will go."

He said there is little opportunity to import onion from India, because India has set a minimum export price of $550. Onion imported at that price costs about Tk 80 to bring into the country including duties and taxes. So Indian onion is not being imported, the market depends only on local onion, and that is why prices are high.

Potato prices have also risen. Last week potatoes sold for Tk 55-60 a kg at retail; on Friday they sold for Tk 65 a kg, though some shops give them for Tk 60 after bargaining.

Rampura market shopkeeper Shahadat said selling potatoes for Tk 60 leaves no profit, because they cost Tk 58 a kg wholesale. "The wholesale price keeps rising by Tk 1-2. Actually prices have risen because of a potato shortage. There is a severe shortage in Munshiganj, Rajshahi and Rangpur; potatoes cannot be found. The problem arose because production was lower this year."

Bidhan Chandra, shopping at Malibagh market, told Jago News: "Three days ago I bought potatoes for Tk 55 a kg. Now they are asking Tk 65. I bargained and took them for Tk 62. We used to eat more potatoes to cut household costs. If even those are so expensive, what are we supposed to eat now?"

Green chilli prices rose just before Eid-ul-Azha this year and have not come down much. Around the Qurbani, green chilli in Dhaka reached Tk 320-400 a kg. It has eased a little and now sells for Tk 260-300 depending on the market.

Sellers say supply is rising day by day and green chilli prices will fall further in a few days. Prices rose abnormally during Eid because of rain and the halt in imports from India.

Most vegetables remain stuck at high prices, with nothing available below Tk 60 a kg; pointed gourd, okra and green papaya are in that range. Kachur loti (taro stolons), yardlong beans and spiny gourd sell for Tk 20 more, around Tk 80 a kg, while sellers are asking Tk 100 or more for bitter gourd and large tal begun (aubergine).

Although hilsa supply has increased in the peak season, prices have brought little relief. At Boro Moghbazar, hilsa of 600-700 grams sell for Tk 1,000-1,200 a kg, 900-gram hilsa for Tk 1,400-1,500 a kg, and sellers are asking Tk 1,800-2,000 for 1 kg hilsa.

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