Vegetable prices in the capital’s markets have seen a sharp increase, with vendors citing two days of heavy rain as the primary reason. This surge compounds an already existing trend of rising vegetable costs that has persisted for over three months. While the prices of fish, beef, mutton, and poultry remain unchanged, all types of vegetables have become significantly more expensive.
Market visits on Friday revealed a significant jump in the cost of essential vegetables.
Meat and Poultry Prices Stable
In contrast to the soaring vegetable rates, the prices of meat and poultry have not changed: Broiler Chicken: BDT 190 per kg, Sonali Chicken: BDT 300 per kg, Local/Deshi Chicken: BDT 600 – 650 per kg, Beef: BDT 780 – 800 per kg, Mutton: BDT 1,100 per kg.
Buyers Express Frustration
The sudden increase has left shoppers feeling frustrated and helpless. Shihabul Islam, a private service employee shopping at Rampura Market on the weekly holiday, commented, “Vegetable prices have been high for more than three months, and today they’ve increased further. If there is no market control, and vendors sell as they please, how can ordinary buyers like us afford to eat vegetables? They raise prices on any pretext. We never see any initiative for market monitoring.”
Raju Ahmed, another buyer at Malibagh Market, echoed similar sentiments, challenging the vendors’ excuse. “Today, vegetable prices increased another notch. The shopkeepers say it’s due to the rain. But prices have been rising for the last three months! Now they blame the rain, but why were prices so high all this time?”
Vendor Justification
Moazzem Hossain, a vegetable seller at Shantinagar Market, confirmed the impact of the weather. He stated, “Vegetable prices are higher today because of the rain over the last two days. Moreover, the season for most vegetables is ending, and prices will remain high until new produce arrives. The crops that were in the fields have been damaged by the last two days of rain, and that impact is now visible in the market. If the rain continues for a few more days, prices could rise even further.”
