Supplies of winter vegetables are rising in the markets, but prices are still high, and no vegetable has dropped below Tk 60. Meanwhile chicken prices, which have been climbing for several weeks, have risen further.

Broiler chicken has gone up by Tk 10 a kg in a week in the capital's markets. Traders in various Dhaka markets were selling broilers yesterday at Tk 185 to Tk 190 a kg, against Tk 175 to Tk 180 last week. Two weeks ago broilers sold for Tk 165 to Tk 170, and at the start of September for Tk 120 to Tk 130.

Like broilers, Sonali chicken has risen in several steps. It sold for Tk 210 to Tk 230 a kg at the start of September and now sells for Tk 330 to Tk 350. A week ago it was Tk 320 to Tk 340, and two weeks ago Tk 300 to Tk 320. Red layer chicken, which sold for Tk 200 to Tk 220 a kg in September, has been selling for Tk 220 to Tk 230 for several weeks.

Onions, which sold for Tk 75 to Tk 80 a kg last week, have eased slightly to Tk 65 to Tk 70.

Carrots and tomatoes remain the most expensive vegetables. Depending on quality, carrots sell for Tk 100 to Tk 160 a kg and tomatoes for Tk 100 to Tk 140, unchanged over the week. Other vegetables are also expensive. Early winter beans sell at Tk 80 to Tk 100 a kg, as last week. Ridge gourd sells for Tk 40 to Tk 50 a kg, small cauliflowers and cabbages for Tk 30 to Tk 50 each and radish for Tk 50 to Tk 60 a kg.

Prices of snake gourd, yardlong beans, okra, pointed gourd and bitter gourd are unchanged over the week. Bitter gourd sells for Tk 60 to Tk 80 a kg, snake gourd for Tk 50 to Tk 60, pointed gourd for Tk 50 to Tk 60, okra for Tk 40 to Tk 60 and yardlong beans for Tk 70 to Tk 80.

Green bananas sell for Tk 30 to Tk 35 per four, red amaranth for Tk 10 to Tk 20 a bundle, radish greens for Tk 15 to Tk 20 a bundle and water spinach for Tk 5 to Tk 10 a bundle. These prices are also unchanged from last week.

Source: Bangladesh Pratidin. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.