Relief has returned to Khulna's vegetable markets. But although the ban on fishing in rivers and the sea has been lifted, fish supply has not yet increased, so there is no sign of the high fish prices coming down. Chicken prices remain stable.

This was the picture at Nirala Bazar, Gallamari Bazar, Tutpara Jorakal Bazar and Mistripara Bazar in Khulna on the morning of Saturday, 29 July.

Rui, katla and mrigel are selling at Tk 300 a kg, the same as last week. Parshe sells at Tk 500–600, bhetki Tk 600–700, tengra Tk 500–600, shol Tk 600, pabda Tk 350, bele Tk 600, bain Tk 600, pangas Tk 250, tilapia Tk 150–200, shrimp Tk 580–650, and shing and magur Tk 600–800. Hilsa that had already reached the market is selling at Tk 700–1,800 a kg.

Atiar, a fish seller at Gallamari Bazar, said supply had still not risen. The rain so far has not filled ponds and gher enclosures much, and farmers have released fry in what water has collected.

Another seller, Elias Molla, said: "How can there be fish in the market when everything goes outside? What does come in, retailers scramble for."

Ramzan, a fish seller at Jorakal Bazar, said fish were not even arriving at the wholesale fish depot in Rupsha, so they could hardly reach the retail market, and fish had to be bought at very high prices.

Aubergine is selling at Tk 40–50, down from Tk 50 last week. Kushi and ridge gourd sell at Tk 40 a kg, spiny gourd Tk 50, papaya Tk 30, sweet pumpkin Tk 30, okra Tk 50, pointed gourd Tk 30, red amaranth Tk 40, stem amaranth Tk 40, bottle gourd Tk 30–40 each, and green bananas Tk 25 a hali (four). Potatoes sell at Tk 40 and green chillies at Tk 160.

Rana, a vegetable seller at Jorakal Bazar, said everything in the vegetable market was still cheap.

Yasir Arafat, a shopper at the market, said that although vegetable prices had fallen, there was no good news from the fish market. Fish sellers say supply will rise within two or three days and prices will then fall.

Although fish prices have not fallen, chicken is down by Tk 10–20 a kg, so shoppers are turning to chicken rather than fish.

Lipu, a chicken seller at Jorakal Bazar, said broilers were selling at Tk 160 that day.

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