Consumers struggle with inflation in Dhaka kitchen markets

The consumers in Dhaka are feeling the heat of inflation as price hike continues amid higher interest rates.

Prices of almost all consumer items including fish, eggs, vegetables, and other daily essentials saw their prices highest in a decade. Vegetables, meat, chicken, and fish prices have remained stable, but at higher rates, said several consumers of different professions.

Talking with UNB they said that higher prices of almost all vegetables, fish, chickens, meat, and other essential commodities are unlikely to decrease for now.

Abul Hossain, a mid-level official of an autonomous organisation told UNB that the taka has slid from 84 to 117 against the US dollar, which severely affected the consumer market.

Not only devalued taka, but also prices of utilities, and fuel have increased, interest rate soared. This entire rate hike impacted the consumer market, he said.

Many other echoed Abul Hossain.

Egg price is on higher trend over last 10 days and selling this popular protein item at Tk 160 per dozen on Friday in the capital. It saw an increase of price by Tk 25 in last two week.

Visiting different kitchen markets including Karwan Bazar, Mohammadpur, Mohakhali, and Malibagh this correspondent observed that eggs were selling at Tk 160 per dozen.

Egg of domestic rearing hen was selling at Tk 75 to 80 per hali (4 pieces) and duck egg was selling at Tk 70 to 75 per hali.

The price of broiler chicken and Pakistani origin sonali chicken have increased by Tk 10 to 20 per kg compared to the last two weeks. The boiler chicken was selling at Tk 220 to 2235 per kg based on size and quality. Apart from this, the price of Sonali chicken has also increased and being sold at Tk 345 to 3070 per kg based on size and quality.

Similarly, cock chicken was being sold at Tk 370 to 390 per kg, layer chicken at Tk 300 to Tk 350 per kg, and local chicken at Tk 670 to Tk 765 per kg.

The traders of the concerned sectors said that prices of chicken increased due to price hikes of chicken food and broiler chicks.

Beef was selling between Tk 750 to 780 per kg on Friday based on quality, and saw a raise of price by Tk 30 per kg than other days of the week. Mutton and goat meat was selling at Tk 1000 to 1180 per kg based on quality, which saw an increase of Tk 50 per kg.

Hilsha weighing about 450 gram was selling at Tk 650 per kg while Hilsha weighing 1.0 kg plus were selling at Tk 1800 to 2000 per kg at Karwan Bazar fish market on Friday. Hilsha weighing 700 to 800 grams were selling at Tk 900 to 1000 per piece.

Fish like Ruhit and carp were selling between Tk 300 to 450 per kg based size and quality. Others fish including riverine small fish were selling at Tk 400 to 700 per kg on Friday.

The prices of vegetables have remained stable at higher rate this time compared to the previous years. Traders blamed inflation for this higher price. Vegetables including eggplant, okra, drumsticks, string beans, and bitter gourd were stable between Tk 50 to 60 per kg on Friday. The prices of tomatoes have increased as the season is ending. Good quality tomatoes were selling between Tk 60 to 70 per kg.

Vegetables like brinjal and others were selling between Tk 50 to 60 per kg, bottle gourd, ash gourd, and cauliflower at Tk 50 to 60 per piece.

Local variety of onion was selling between Tk 70 to 80 per kg, garlic at Tk 180 to 250, and ginger at Tk 200 to 280 per kg based on quality.

The prices of other commodities including rice, wheat, flour, milk, soybean, aromatic rice have remained unchanged.