Chicken prices have risen further in Rangpur within a week. Some vegetables, including coriander leaves, cauliflower and green peas, are also getting dearer, but garlic and drumsticks have become cheaper. Prices of fish, rice, lentils and oil are unchanged.

A visit to various markets in Rangpur city on Tuesday (14 March) found that, in the retail market, broiler chicken had risen from Tk 210–220 to Tk 250–260 a kg, Pakistani chicken from Tk 310–320 to Tk 340–350, and deshi chicken from Tk 460–470 to Tk 540–550 a kg. Pakistani layers are selling at Tk 280.

Beef is selling at Tk 670–700 a kg and goat meat at Tk 900–1,000, as last week.

Al-Amin, a chicken seller at Mulatol Amtala Bazar, told Jago News, "A syndicate is controlling the chicken market. Some companies are buying chickens directly from farmers and controlling the market. Ordinary shopkeepers are forced to buy chickens at high prices, and this affects the retail market."

Rafiqul Islam, who came to buy chicken, said, "Broiler satisfies the poor man's taste for meat. The broiler that used to cost Tk 120–130 now has to be bought for Tk 250–260."

In the vegetable market, tomatoes are selling at Tk 25–30 a kg as last week, carrots Tk 25–30 and cucumbers Tk 25–30. Slender aubergines have fallen from Tk 35–40 to Tk 20 and round aubergines from Tk 45–50 to Tk 30. Papaya costs Tk 15–20, and bitter gourd has fallen from Tk 160–170 to Tk 110–120. Lemons are Tk 15–20 a hali (four). Green chillies have fallen from Tk 130–140 to Tk 80, while dried chillies are unchanged at Tk 450–500. Bottle gourds cost Tk 30–40 each depending on size. Coriander leaves have risen from Tk 35–40 to Tk 70–80 a kg, green bananas cost Tk 25–30 a hali, sweet pumpkin Tk 30–35 a kg, and flat beans have fallen from Tk 35–40 to Tk 25–30. Cabbage costs Tk 10 each, and cauliflower has risen from Tk 10–15 to Tk 30–40 a kg.

Ginger is selling at Tk 130–140 a kg, and garlic has fallen from Tk 130–140 to Tk 110–120. Bundles of all kinds of leafy greens cost Tk 10–15. Drumsticks have fallen from Tk 220–240 to Tk 150–160, sweet potatoes are unchanged at Tk 35–40, pointed gourd has fallen from Tk 70–80 to Tk 55–60, okra from Tk 100–120 to Tk 70–80, and green peas have risen from Tk 40–45 to Tk 70–80 a kg.

In the retail market, new Cardinal potatoes cost Tk 15–16 a kg and Shil and Jhau potatoes Tk 30–35. Local onions are selling at Tk 30–35 a kg and imported Indian onions at Tk 25.

Maqbul Mia, a vegetable seller at City Bazar, said the vegetable market goes up and down depending on supply. In the retail market, a litre of bottled soybean oil costs Tk 187, two litres Tk 374, and loose soybean oil Tk 160–190.

Swarna rice is selling at Tk 50–52 a kg as last week, Paijam at Tk 54–55, BR28 at Tk 60–65, Miniket at Tk 75–78 and Nazirshail at Tk 85.

Loose sugar is selling at Tk 115–120 a kg, the same as last week. Packaged atta (flour) has fallen to Tk 65–68, loose atta costs Tk 58–60, gram Tk 95–100 and packaged maida Tk 78–80.

Lentils (medium masur) are unchanged at Tk 110–120 a kg, fine lentils at Tk 130–140, mung dal at Tk 140–150 and gram dal at Tk 95–100. Poultry eggs cost Tk 40–42 a hali. In the fish market, depending on size, rui is selling at Tk 250–300 a kg, mrigel Tk 220–250, carp Tk 200–220, pangas Tk 150–160, tilapia Tk 140–160, catla Tk 400–450, bata Tk 160–180, shing Tk 300–400, silver carp Tk 150–250 and gochi Tk 600–650.

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