Onion, oil get costlier as potato prices fall in a week

Highlights

• Onion prices increase by Tk10 per kg
• Oil prices increase by Tk2-7 per litre
• Potato prices drop by Tk10 per kg
• Rice prices remain high despite peak Aman season
• Fish gets costlier

Onion prices in the market have increased by Tk5-10 per kg within a week. Edible oil prices also witnessed a hike of Tk2-7 compared to last week.

However, various types of vegetables were available at slightly lower prices in the capital's Shahjadpur, Badda, and Mohakhali kitchen markets this morning (17 January).

The price of newly arrived local onions has increased to Tk50-60 per kg, a hike of Tk10 from last week's Tk40-50. Imported onions were being sold at Tk65-75 per kg.

Meanwhile, the price of newly arrived potatoes was set at Tk30-35 per kg, down from last week's Tk40-45 per kg.

"We pay Tk35 for each kg of potatoes. Even though the price dropped in a week, we saw in the news that farmers are selling them for Tk10-15 per kg. Businessmen are taking all our money," said a security guard from a private institution in Gulshan who came to the Shahjadpur kitchen market.

"The prices of goods are increasing. It's difficult to manage expenses. Still, we are getting by somehow," he added.

Prices of chicken remain high

Each kg of broiler chicken was sold at Tk200-210 in Dhaka's kitchen markets this morning. Local chicken was Tk600-650 per kg, and Sonali chicken was Tk320-350 per kg.

The price of chicken has remained high for the past few weeks.

Meanwhile, the price of eggs was Tk125-130 per dozen.

Rice remains costlier despite peak Aman season

The peak season of Aman rice is currently underway. However, the price of rice remained high.

According to Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) data, prices of coarse rice are now Tk54-58 per kg, medium-grain rice Tk60-65, and fine-grain rice Tk70-74.

The price of coarse rice has increased by Tk3-4, medium-grain rice by Tk2, and fine-grain rice by Tk2-4 within a month, as per TCB.

However, retail sellers have said that the price of rice in the market is slightly higher than TCB's estimate.

Edible oil, fish gets costlier

The price of loose soybean oil has increased by Tk2-7 per litre in the kitchen market.

Loose soybean oil was being sold at Tk165-172 per litre this morning, which was Tk163-165 last week.

Meanwhile, bottled soybean oil was being sold at Tk174-175 per litre, up from last week's Tk173-175. Traders said the supply of bottled soybean oil remained low.

A visit to the fish market revealed that each kg of Pabda was sold at Tk350-400, Tilapia Tk200-220, farmed Shing Tk500-550, farmed Pangas Tk180-220 depending on size, one kg Rui Tk250-280, large Rui Tk350-450 per kg, and farmed Koi was being sold at Tk250-300 per kg.

Depending on the size, Katla was sold per kg at Tk400-450, Koral Tk700-750, Tengra Tk550-700, and Chital Tk800.

Vegetable market remains stable

In Dhaka's kitchen markets this morning, eggplant was sold at Tk40-50 per kg, cauliflower Tk30 per piece, beans Tk30-40/kg, bottle gourd Tk60, radish Tk20, cucumber Tk40-50, and arum-lobe [kachur loti] Tk60 per kg.

Four pieces of bananas were being sold at Tk30, turnips at Tk40 per kg, carrots at Tk50, papaya at Tk25-30, both luffa and zucchini at Tk70, and tomatoes at Tk50 per kg.

Each kg of green chilli was sold at Tk80 in the retail market and Tk50 in wholesale.