Green chilli price doubles within a week

The price situation remained relatively stable at the vegetable markets in Dhaka during the vacation of Eid-ul-Azha, but the green chilli witnessed a two-fold increase in its price.

Meanwhile, the prices of tomato, cucumber and carrot, vegetable ingredients of salad, have started falling soon after the completion of Eid celebrations.

During visits to Moghbazar, Hatirpool and Karwan Bazar on Thursday, it was seen that the green chilli, which was Tk 80 to Tk 100 a week back, is being sold at Tk 140 to Tk 180 per kg depending on the standard.

Arman Ali, a vegetable seller of Karwan Bazar, told Prothom Alo that there is no significant shortage in the supply of green chilli. Its demand soars during Eid as people increasingly use this ingredient to cook different types of food.

“We have to buy at a higher rate from the wholesale market and this is why we are charging consumers higher,” he added.

Prices of other vegetables did not show much difference as there was no shortage in the supply chain.

The price of tomato, which was selling at around Tk 200 before Eid, decreased to Tk 120 to Tk 140 per kg on Thursday. Its price had peaked at Tk 300 per kg one month ago due to suspension of imports.

Cucumber price has also fallen down to Tk 50-70 per kg while carrot price declined from Tk 180 to Tk 120-150.

Meanwhile, a dozen of lemon is being sold at Tk 20 to Tk 50 at the kitchen markets in Dhaka on Thursday.

Emran Master, president of Bangladesh Kachamal Arot Malik Samity, a Karwan Bazar-based wholesalers association, said the supply of vegetables is normal. The price of green chilli went up slightly due to the increased demand during Eid.

Each kg of green chilli sold at Karwan Bazar at Tk 140 to Tk 160 on Thursday. The price will return to normalcy within a week, he added.