Most of the vegetables in the market are still being sold for a high price. However, the price of farm chicken eggs has come down a little as the supply is going up. A dozen egg sold for Tk 160 in different markets of the capital on Thursday. In addition to eggs, the price of green chillis has decreased as well.
Sellers stated that the supply of vegetables in the market is still low compared to demand. The rain and floods in the country during the last couple of months has caused extensive damage to the crops. Because of that the price of vegetables is not coming down so soon.
Meanwhile, the major egg producing companies have started supplying eggs directly to the wholesale markets. With this the price of eggs has started decreasing from Thursday. This information has been found from visiting the Shewrapara, Mohammadpur Krishi Market and Town Hall Bazar kitchen markets in the capital on Thursday and from speaking to the vendors.
Vegetable prices still high
Though the prices of several vegetables have decreased compared to last week's prices, the prices of most vegetables are still high. Compared to last week, the price of eggplant increased by Tk 20-40 per kg and it was sold at Tk 120-180 per kg on Thursday.
Apart from that, okra, pointed gourd, snake gourd and sponge gourd sold for Tk 80-100 per kg, spiny gourd for Tk 100-120 per kg, bitter gourd and long beans for Tk 120-140 per kg, pumpkin and local variety of cucumber for Tk 70-80 per kg with papaya for Tk 40 per kg on Thursday. In the wholesale markets like Karwan Bazar, the prices were a bit lower.
In addition to vegetables the price of different types of leafy greens was high as well. For example, a bundle of red spinach sold for Tk 20-30, malabar spinach for Tk 40-50 and bottle gourd leaves for Tk 30 on Thursday. Meanwhile, the prices of onion, garlic and potato remain the same as before.
Apart from that the price of medium quality rice increased by Tk 3-4 and the price of dry ginger increased by Tk 40 per kg. On Thursday, medium quality BRRI-28 rice sold for Tk 62 and BRRI-29 sold for Tk 62-64 a kg. Meanwhile, dry ginger sold for Tk 260-280 and fresh ginger sold for Tk 180-200 per kg.
The price of chillis has declined in the market by about Tk 200 per kg within the difference of a week.
A kg of green chilli sold for Tk 400-500 or more on most days of the last week. The same green chilli sold for Tk 220-300 in different markets of the capital on Thursday. The sellers said that the import of chilli remained suspended for quite a few days in the middle because of the Durga Puja holidays. Now the import is normal again and the price of chilli will drop even lower.
Initiative to increase egg supply
The additional price of eggs is now a major concern for general consumers especially the low income population. Each dozen of farm chicken egg sold for Tk 170-180 throughout the last week while sometimes it rose to Tk 190 also.
However, a dozen of the same egg sold for Tk 160 on Thursday while the price was slightly higher at retail markets in different parts of the capital. Apart from eggs, the price of broiler chicken is higher as well. Broiler chicken sold for Tk 200-210 per kg and Sonali chicken sold for Tk 290-300 per kg on this Thursday.
Meanwhile, several initiatives have been taken to increase the supply of eggs in the market. The interim government in two phases has given 19 different companies permit to import eggs in the current month.
In addition to that the National Board of Revenue (NBR) in a notice issued on Thursday reduced the import duty on eggs from 25 per cent to just 5 per cent. Besides, the major egg producing companies as well as the small farm owners have started supplying eggs to the market directly at the price fixed by the government. The price of egg has started decreasing in response to these initiatives.
Wholesale egg dealers from Dhaka in a meeting organised by Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) on Thursday stated that if the top egg producing companies supply eggs regularly to Tejgaon and Kaptan Bazar in Dhaka at the government-fixed rate, the price of the commodity will remain tolerable.
The dealers further said that the top production companies have to supply total 3 million (30 lakh) eggs to Tejgaon and Kaptan Bazar areas with 1.5 million (15 lakh) to each every day. Apart from that, it is also necessary to ensure that the eggs those companies will have left over would also be sold for the price fixed by the government.
Former president of Tejgaon egg traders association, Amanat Ullah stated during the view-exchange meeting that the pressure on eggs might reduce when the winter vegetables will arrive in the market within the next 15 to 20 days. The price will drop even lower then, he added.