Trade in sacrificial animals is picking up at Rajshahi's traditional City Hat ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, with farmers and buyers coming from upazilas across the district. But alongside cattle prices, the unusual price of green coconuts has become a talking point.

Green coconuts that normally sell for Tk 70–80 each are now selling for Tk 130–150 at the market. Because of the intense heat, people at the market are forced to buy them at the higher price.

At noon on Wednesday 20 May, buyers and sellers were busy trading animals under a blazing sun, and to get some relief from the heat they were buying green coconuts at extra cost.

Nazrul Islam, a farmer from Charghat upazila who had brought cattle to the market, said angrily: "In this heat the body becomes completely weak. I bought a green coconut for a little relief, but it was almost finished in one sip. Taking Tk 150 for a small coconut is truly unusual. They are taking advantage of the helpless state of people at the market."

Babul, a farmer who came with his father to sell cattle, said: "I have been at the market since morning. It has become hard to cope with the sun and heat. I had no choice but to pay Tk 140 for a coconut. Normally it does not cost even half that. People are suffering in the heat, and the price has been raised to take advantage."

Coconut seller Abdul Kaium told Jago News: "We did not raise prices on purpose. Demand for green coconuts at the market has risen a lot because of the heat. The cost of a place at the market, transport and other costs have also gone up, and we have to buy the coconuts at a higher price ourselves. So we are forced to sell a little higher."

Liton Mahmud, who is in charge of order at the market, said: "Demand for food and drink has risen because of the crowds and the heat. But we are watching so that no one raises prices unreasonably and causes suffering to ordinary people. Necessary action will be taken if we get complaints."

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