Egg and chicken prices have fallen in Khulna's markets in a week, and vegetables are also cheap because of plentiful supply. Fish prices, however, have risen, and the high prices of rice, oil and sugar are unchanged. This was the picture at the city's Boro Bazar on 10 December.

Eggs are selling at Tk 32–42 a hali (four). Broiler chicken, which sold at Tk 160–165 a kg last week, was selling at Tk 140 today.

Visits to the city's Tootpara Jorakol, Mistripara, Moylapota evening market and Rupsha markets showed that fish arrivals have fallen sharply from last week. Although the tidal fishing period is under way, supply is low and prices high, to the frustration of buyers.

Fish traders at Tootpara Jorakol market, Niamat Ali, Badsha Hawlader, Abdur Rahim, Ramjan Ali and Nantu, said fish arrivals in Khulna are down on last week. Prawns, rui, catla, mrigal, grass carp, tilapia, pangas, pabda, parshe, shol, taki and hilsa are all much dearer.

They said there is still strong demand for hilsa but little supply. Jatka hilsa is selling at Tk 350 to 400 a kg, and slightly larger fish at Tk 700–800 a kg. Rui, catla and mrigal sell at Tk 200–300 by size; parshe Tk 400–550 by size; farmed pangas Tk 150–250; rupchanda Tk 600–1,000; pabda Tk 300; local magur Tk 600; shing Tk 400–550; local koi Tk 400; shol Tk 500; bhetki Tk 400–500; air Tk 250–450 by size; bhola Tk 300; and bagda shrimp Tk 500–1,200.

Retailers complain that there is no sign of sugar prices falling, and that oil is not available unless they also take the companies' preferred products.

Wholesalers make the opposite complaint: retailers are buying rice at wholesale rates in the market and selling it at higher prices, making a profit of up to Tk 6–7 on a kg.

Wholesalers also allege that, since a RAB drive at Khulna's Boro Bazar, retailers have been buying rice from open market sale (OMS) dealers at Tk 40–45 a kg and selling it at Tk 55–60.

Md Faruk, proprietor of Dinajpur Bhandar in the market, said he expects rice sales to be higher this week than last. New rice is arriving and arrivals will rise further in two to four days, which will bring prices down, he said.

The vegetable market seems to have caught the share market's mood, with prices continuing to slide. Winter vegetables are now available at Tk 30 a kg or less, and traders say they will fall further.

Vegetable sellers at Jorakol market, Rana, Monir and Masum, said cauliflower is selling at Tk 30, beetroot Tk 20–25, cabbage Tk 25, bottle gourd Tk 30–40 a piece, beans Tk 30 a kg, tomatoes Tk 60–80, yardlong beans Tk 40, papaya Tk 30, ridge gourd Tk 30, sweet pumpkin Tk 30, potatoes Tk 28–30, radish Tk 20, aubergine Tk 40 and green chillies Tk 20–40.

Shahinur Alam Shikder, assistant director of the Khulna divisional office of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, told Jagonews that prices of daily essentials in Khulna are more or less normal and regular drives are being carried out to keep them so.

Besides consumer rights officials, RAB and the district administration are also monitoring markets regularly, so there is no room to overcharge, he said. Action will be taken immediately on any such complaint.

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