Potato prices surpass rice

Potatoes are currently fetching higher prices than rice in most of the markets in Dhaka, particularly for new and old potatoes which have surpassed the prices of coarse and medium-sized rice. In some instances, the price of potatoes has even exceeded that of fine rice. 

The new potato came to the market at the onset of the winter. There are still some old potatoes in the market. Despite that, the price of potatoes is high in the market. At the same time, the prices of other winter vegetables are also high.

Speaking to the traders in the capital’s Malibagh, Mogbazar and Rampura market it has been learnt that potatoes are being sold at a price of Tk 70 to Tk 80 per kg. The price of potatoes has increased by Tk 10 per kg within a week. The new potatoes usually come to market by mid-December and the price starts to fall after that.

According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), per kg coarse rice is being sold at Tk 48-50 and the price of medium sized rice is Tk 50-55 per kg. And per kg fine rice is being sold at Tk 60-75. As such, the price of potato is higher than all types of coarse and medium sized rice and in some cases it is even higher than the price of fine rice.

However, there are many varieties of fine rice apart from those mentioned in the list of TCB. The price of these types of fine rice can be up to Tk 95 per kg.

Analysing the price list of the TCB it is revealed that the prices of coarse, medium, and fine rice were nearly the same as they were a year ago. However, the price of potatoes ranged between Tk 22 and Tk 16. Consequently, the price of potatoes has increased by 229 per cent in a year.

Speaking to Prothom Alo Bangladesh Cold Storage Association president Mostafa Azad Chowdhury said, “Usually the stock of the old potatoes in the cold storages finishes in the beginning of December and new potatoes start to appear in the market and the price starts to fall by mid-December. However, the price is not coming down due to the decline in the early yield of potatoes."

In addition to the potatoes, the price of onions is also high. Per kg local onion is being sold at Tk 100 to Tk 120. The price of old local onions is Tk 150-160 per kg. Although the price of vegetables started to fall at the beginning of the winter, it started to rise again from mid-December.

Visiting the markets, it was seen that rate of eggplant was Tk 70-90 per kg, beans Tk 70-80 per kg, tomato Tk 80-100 per kg, cauliflowers and cabbages Tk 50-60 per piece, gourd Tk 80-100 per piece and bitter gourd Tk 90-100 per kg. Only a handful of vegetable items are being sold within Tk 50 per kg.

Prices of daily commodities like flour, lentils and oil were already high and it has not come down. Same goes for the fish and meat. Per kg broiler chicken is being sold at Tk 180-200, sonali chicken Tk 310-330, beef Tk 650-700, cotton fish Tk 300-400 and pangash fish Tk 200-230.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Anas Uddin, a resident of Rampura said, “The prices of fish and meat were already high. But I don’t understand why the prices of vegetables are so high during winter.”