Most vegetables are expensive in Dhaka's markets because of rain and reduced supply. Apart from papaya and green bananas, almost every vegetable is selling above Tk 70 a kg. More shoppers came to the markets on the public holiday, but they said the high prices left them uneasy.

This was the picture in several markets in Shewrapara, Raiyankhola, Mohakhali, Mirpur, Agargaon and Kalyanpur on Wednesday, 26 August, the Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi holiday.

Papaya sells at Tk 30 to 40 a kg, and a hali (four) of green bananas for the same price. Taro sells at Tk 80 a kg, round brinjal at Tk 120, yardlong beans at Tk 100, long brinjal at Tk 100 to 120, and ridge gourd and bitter gourd at Tk 80 a kg.

A bottle gourd costs Tk 60 to 70. Flat beans are the dearest at Tk 200 a kg, and carrots and tomatoes sell at Tk 120 to 140 a kg.

Mizanul Alam, a trader at Raiyankhola market, said heavy rain had hit vegetable production and supply had fallen in the wholesale markets too, which was affecting retail prices. Prices rise and fall with time, he added.

Moazzem, a seller at the Mirpur-6 kitchen market, said vegetables are relatively cheap in winter; at other times most sell between Tk 50 and 80.

"I used to buy a bag of vegetables with little money. Now even a bagful of money won't fill the bag with vegetables. Almost all locally grown vegetables are expensive. Because traders set prices as they please, ordinary buyers are struggling," said shopper Rabeya Begum.

Another shopper, Fatiha Islam, said: "You can't get any leafy greens for under Tk 20 to 30. Buying just two or three kinds of vegetables costs more than Tk 200, so I go home with very little after spending a thousand taka at the market."

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