Although imports from India are suspended, the price of local green chillies in the markets of Hili has fallen by Tk 50 to 60 a kg. Only five days ago, a kilogram of local green chillies sold for Tk 100 to 120.

With the price down by half, people on low incomes were seen expressing satisfaction.

Siddique Hossain, who came to the market to buy green chillies, said the lower price has helped: "It takes less money, so I can buy as much as I need. Our local green chillies are also better in quality and taste than Indian ones, which is why we prefer to buy local."

Another buyer, Nur Islam, said: "The price of everything in the market is sky-high, so the fall in green chilli prices helps ordinary people. Because the price has dropped, I am buying a bit more. Where I used to buy 250 grams when prices were high, now I buy half a kilo or a kilo."

Hili market green chilli sellers Biplob Hossain and Bablu Sheikh said that some time ago excessive heat and rain destroyed chilli flowers, hampering production in different parts of the country. That cut the supply of local green chillies to the market and pushed prices up, after which imports began from India. Now, with good weather and the first touch of winter, production is going well and the supply of local chillies has increased. Although green chilli imports through the port have been suspended since 11 September because of the puja, the rising local supply meant there was no effect; prices have instead fallen further.

Source: Desh Rupantor. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.