Consumers pay high for ‘Ramadan foods’

Ramadan, the holy month of self-restraint, has arrived though the consumers have left with a very little option to practice ‘restraint’ as the popular grocery items for the iftar table have shot up on the eve of Ramadan. 

Masuma Khatun Lipi, a computer operator of BTMC, told the correspondents at Karwan Bazar kitchen market Thursday that among all other kitchen groceries, the price of aubergine has gone up most as beguni, a popular iftar item, is made of the vegetable. 

“Just a month ago I bought aubergine at Tk 40 per kilogram but now I have to pay Tk 60 extra per kg. During Ramadan every year the price of aubergine goes up as we don’t have any other option as ‘Beguni’ (eggplant fries) is a favourite item on the iftar table,” she said.

“I prefer to shop at Karwan Bazar kitchen market. If I buy aubergine from Goran Bazar, It will cost Tk 110 per kg,” said Lipi, a resident of capital’s Goran area. 

During a visit, the correspondents found that not only aubergine, the prices of other kitchen groceries have witnessed a sharp rise even ahead of Ramadan. 

“How much was one kg aubergine last week?”
Nirab, a vegetable vendor at the bazaar gleefully answered, “Last week? I have sold aubergine at Tk 80 per kg yesterday. And today the price has shot up to Tk 100 per kg.”
The price of per kg coriander leaves has shot up to Tk 240 while it was Tk 80 a week before.
Another vendor Mohammad Zakir said his sales target is about 200 kg gram per day during the Ramadan which is thrice than past weeks.
“I have sold 100 kg gram till 3:30pm today that is a total of sales in a week in the past,” the vendor added.
“Not bad at all,” said another vendor Arif at the market while taking to Prothom Alo about sales of the grocery products on Thursday afternoon.

When asked about the prices of the legumes he said lentils are being sold at Tk 50 per kg, which was Tk 35 a week ago. Grams were sold at Tk 60 per kg which is five taka more than that in usual time.
Mohammad Belal, who is running business for a decade at Kawran Bazar, said Tang powder drink and Rooh Afza syrup are being sold most among others brands.
Per kg cucumber is being sold at Tk 45 to tk 50 while few days before it was Tk 20.
The consumers have to pay Tk 20 extra for one kg green chillies. The sellers informed the correspondents earlier green chillies are usually sold at Tk 20 to Tk 25 per kg.
On the other hand, sale of some grocery items decreased during Ramadan.
Toriq has been running a grocery shop since 1984 in Karwan Bazar. He said the sale of packet noodles goes down during Ramadan.
“Instant noodles are a popular packed lunch item for children. As most of the schools remain closed during this time, the sale has gone down,” he said.
Some traders claimed the sale of rice has fallen down as people prefer to have meal with rice only in Sehri time.