Vegetable prices had been low in Khulna's markets for some time, but they rose a little this week. All winter vegetables are up by Tk 5–10 a kg.

This was the picture at Khulna's Notun Bazar, Rupsha Bazar and Mistripara Bazar on Sunday; the report gives the date as 4 December.

In the vegetable markets, spinach was selling at Tk 30, cauliflower at Tk 40 a kg, bottle gourd at Tk 40 each, pumpkin at Tk 40 a kg, okra at Tk 40–50, tomatoes at Tk 80–100 and beans at Tk 40, while green chillies had risen to Tk 80–100 a kg. Onions were selling at Tk 70–80, garlic at Tk 70–80 a kg and potatoes at Tk 20–25 a kg.

Broiler chicken was selling at Tk 150–160 a kg, Sonali at Tk 230 a kg and layer at Tk 220–230 a kg. Beef was selling at Tk 750 a kg and goat meat at Tk 1,100 a kg.

The fish market, meanwhile, was stable. Rui sold at Tk 220–250 depending on size, bhetki at Tk 500–600 a kg depending on size, and prawns at up to Tk 500–800 a kg. Tilapia sold at Tk 130–160, pabda at Tk 300–350, pangas at Tk 160–180, catla at Tk 240–250 a kg and small fish at Tk 300–400 a kg.

Retail vegetable traders say all vegetable prices are within reach. The price of everything in the market has risen, and so has the cost of transport. Although vegetable supply fell a little this week, there is no shortage, they said.

Vegetable seller Abedul Gazi said he considers a price of Tk 30–40 normal for vegetables. "With the price of everything in the market, it is hard to find vegetables at Tk 20–25. Farmers' profits have also fallen. Selling retail, it is a struggle for us even to make Tk 400–500 profit on a market day," he said.

Sagar Sheikh, a shopper at Notun Bazar, said vegetable prices had gone up by Tk 5–10 a kg this week while everything else was unchanged.

Another shopper, Touhidul Sheikh, said many vegetables were available at Tk 20–25 last week and fish, vegetables and chicken were comparatively cheap, but vegetable prices had risen considerably this week.

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