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Vegetables, meat pricier

Wide gap between wholesale and retail prices in Chittagong

Amir Hasan Shahriar, Ctg
Prices of vegetables and meat have soared in kitchen markets despite no reasonable change in wholesale prices in the port city.
Vegetables at the nearest wholesale market were being sold at nearly half the price yesterday.
At the Nayabazar kitchen market, cucumbers were being sold at Tk 50 per kg, while at Pahartali Bazar -only 1.4 kilometres away - they were going forTk 35 per kg.
Brinjals were being sold atTk 60, papayas at Tk 70, tomatoes atTk 50, and carrots at Tk 60 per kg at Nayabazar, while prices of these vegetables were Tk 50, Tk 35, Tk 35, and Tk 35 respectively at Pahartali Bazar.
According to market sources, prices of brinjals, papayas, tomatoes and carrots were Tk 40, Tk 35, Tk 40 and Tk 40 respectively before Ramadan.
Mohammad Momin, a vendor at Pahartali bazar, said traders of all the kitchen markets around the area come to the market to purchase vegetables.
"Rickshaw fare between Nayabazar and Pahartali Bazar is Tk 40 at most. There is no reason for prices to go up that much," said Momin, adding that prices of vegetables were stable at the wholesale market.
Mohammad Alamgir, a customer at Nayabazar said though the daily consumption of vegetables
decreases in Ramadan, they are needed for iftar.
"Even the price of potatoes has increased in Ramadan," he said.
Potatoes are being sold at Tk 22 per kg; prior to Ramadan, the price was Tk 18 and wholesale price of the produce isTk 15.
At Kazir Dewri kitchen market, the scenario was the same. Vegetable prices here range from Tk 50 to 60.
Showkat Ali, a customer at Kazir
Dewri and a school teacher by profession, said, "Except for green chillies, prices of all other vegetables are unreasonably high."
Price of green chillies was Tk 30, somewhat reasonable compared to its wholesale price Tk 24.
The retail prices of beef and broiler chicken were also high. Boneless beef, which was Tk 500 per kg before Ramadan, was being sold at Tk 600 per kg. Price of beef with
bones was Tk 550, previously sold at Tk 450 per kg. Price of broiler chicken was Tk 150, which was previously Tk 135.
Swapan Kumar, a vegetable retailer, told The Daily Star that the demand for vegetables is high in Ramadan, causing a spike in prices.
In Kazir Dewri fruit market, bananas were being sold atTk 60 per dozen; prior to Ramadan the price of the fruit was Tk 30. The price of dates is the same as the previous year.
Prices of grocery items have not changed much. The prices of chickpea, lentil, soya bean oil and sugar remain the same. Price of puffed rice has gone up, while the price of eggs has gone down.
Eggs are being sold atTk 70 per dozen; they were Tk 80 before. Price of onions has gone down fromH<35 to 25.
"The supply of grocery items was sufficient right before Ramadan. So, the prices did not change much," said Mohammad Faruk, owner of Faruk Store at Halishahar area in the city.