The first reaction of shoppers in the capital's kitchen markets these days is "vegetables are so expensive!" Many families that came to rely on vegetables because fish and meat had become too costly now find vegetables slipping out of reach as well. Almost every kind of vegetable is selling for close to Tk 100 a kg.

Low- and middle-income families are under the most pressure. Some shoppers who used to buy a kilogram now buy half a kilo or less.

Traders say production and supply are disrupted in many areas during the monsoon, pushing up prices, and that the same has happened this year. Rain has fallen across the country for several days, damaging many fields and cutting the supply of vegetables to the markets.

Buyers disagree. They say supply is adequate and no shop is short of vegetables, yet prices are abnormal because there is no effective market monitoring and traders raise prices on various pretexts. Stronger monitoring, they say, would bring prices down at least somewhat.

With most vegetables now at or above Tk 100 a kg, they say, not only fish and meat but ordinary vegetables have become a luxury for many families, and items such as tomatoes and carrots are beyond the reach of low-income people.

A visit to several markets in the capital on Wednesday found beans (shim) the most expensive vegetable, at Tk 180 to Tk 220 a kg. Tomatoes sold for Tk 130 to Tk 150 a kg and carrots for Tk 110 to Tk 130.

Aubergine, cucumber, yardlong beans, bitter gourd, taro stolons, ridge gourd and spiny gourd had also neared the Tk 100 mark. Aubergine and yardlong beans sold for Tk 80 to Tk 100 a kg, bitter gourd for Tk 80 to Tk 120, and taro stolons, ridge gourd and spiny gourd for Tk 80 to Tk 100. Cucumbers cost Tk 60 to Tk 100 a kg.

Green papaya was the cheapest at Tk 30 to Tk 40 a kg. Pointed gourd sold for Tk 60 to Tk 70, okra for Tk 60 to Tk 80, snake gourd for Tk 60 to Tk 70, sponge gourd for Tk 60 to Tk 80 and sweet pumpkin for Tk 40 to Tk 60 a kg. A bottle gourd cost Tk 50 to Tk 70 apiece, four green bananas Tk 40 to Tk 50 and a bunch of leafy greens Tk 15 to Tk 20.

Broiler chicken sold for Tk 190 to Tk 200 a kg and Sonali chicken for Tk 300 to Tk 320. Green chillies were also dear, at Tk 50 to Tk 60 for a quarter kilo (250 grams), or Tk 180 to Tk 200 for a full kilo.

Md Sohel Rana, a private-sector employee living in Rampura, said he used to buy a kilo each of several vegetables but now has to take half a kilo once he hears the price. "Our income no longer matches our household spending. We have to redo the sums every day," he said. "Most vegetables are near Tk 100 a kg. How are people supposed to buy vegetables at this price? Fish and meat are expensive too. Middle-class people like us are struggling to run our households."

Ruma Akter, a garment worker from Malibagh Hajipara, said she gave up beef and mutton long ago and only occasionally buys broiler chicken, which now costs Tk 200 a kg. "We can't even afford vegetables. A single tomato costs almost Tk 20. Only Allah knows how we are getting by," she said.

Abdul Kader, a rickshaw puller in Badda, said a large part of his daily earnings goes on food. "Shopping worth Tk 500 used to last several days. Now the same money doesn't last more than two days. If vegetable prices fell, we would get at least some relief."

Shahin Ahmed, a retired bank official living in Banasree, said inflation had already raised the cost of living a great deal and vegetable prices had added new pressure on the middle class, who now have to budget separately just to eat healthily. He said traders raise prices on various excuses and the government should monitor markets regularly. "Prices jump suddenly because there is no effective monitoring. If monitoring is stepped up, prices will certainly come down at least a little."

Retailers say they are not responsible for the rise, as they have to buy at higher prices in the wholesale markets. Transport costs, reduced supply and seasonal effects together have pushed prices up, they say.

Md Alamgir, a vegetable seller at Rampura market, said he sells at only a small margin over his buying price. "Customers think we raise prices on purpose, but everything is expensive in the wholesale market. Because of the high prices our sales have fallen too. People who used to buy by the kilo now buy half a kilo or less."

Saiful Islam, a seller in Malibagh Hajipara, said rain and lower supply from different areas meant not enough vegetables were reaching the market. Short supply was raising wholesale prices, and that was feeding through to retail.

Abdul Jalil, a seller in Banasree, said customers complain about prices every day, but sellers are struggling too. "When prices are high people buy less, and our profit shrinks. With sales down, we are also finding it hard to run our households."

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