Green chilli price tops Tk 650 per kg in Chandpur’s Matlab South upazila

Prices of green chillies have reached Tk 600-650 per kg at the kitchen markets in Matlab South upazila of Chandpur. As prices went out of the customers’ reach, green chillies were even sold for Tk 2-3 per piece, traders said.

Prices soared on Sunday and Monday due to low supply amid incessant rains, while several customers alleged that prices of essentials, as well as green chillies are on the rise due to absence of market monitoring.

Visiting the Upazila Sadar market on Monday morning, several vegetable vendors were seen putting green chillies on display and waiting for customers. Sales were low. Sometimes customers came, bargained and left without purchasing it. Several customers were also seen purchasing green chillies at higher price. Some also bought it as per pieces.

Md. Al Amin is a vegetable vendor from the Uapzila Sadar Bazar. He said supply of green chillies has been low over the past several days. Previously, he sold about 15-20 kg of green chillies per day. He said he brought 7-8 kg on Sunday and Monday, but could not sell it all.

Customers were not purchasing green chillies due to higher price and green chilli was being sold at Tk 2-3 apiece, he said adding, incessant rains hamper import of green chillies, increasing the prices.

Md. Ariful Islam, from Kaladi area of the upazila, said he purchased 15 green chillies for Tk 30. Like him, many people with low income follow this ‘piece method’ and it saves money. He alleged prices of green chillies and other essential are soaring as monitoring of the administration is absent at markets.

Regarding this, upazila nirbahi officer Fatima Sultana said they would continue to monitor the markets to keep essential prices normal and stable.

She, however, declined that allegations on the absence of monitoring was not true.