Vegetable prices in city markets still high

The prices of some winter vegetables remained costly in the city’s kitchen markets on Tuesday.

Traders said the prices will start showing a descending trend once the supply of the vegetables in the market is increased. 

Visiting Gulshan-2 Kitchen Market, our correspondent found that cauliflower was selling at Tk 40 per piece while cucumber at Tk 120 per kg, radish at Tk 40, tomato at Tk 110, brinjal (black) at Tk 40 and brinjal (white) at Tk 50, lady’s finger at Tk 60, bean at Tk 60 and carrot at Tk 60.  

Talking to UNB, Md Yasin, a retailer at the market, said the prices of some winter vegetables like cauliflower, tomato, carrot and lady’s finger remained nearly unchanged compared to Monday’s ones. 

He said the prices will fall off when the vegetable supply will get a boost.

Visiting Malibagh Kitchen Market in the afternoon, it was found that cauliflower (small) was selling at Tk 20 and Tk 40 (big) per piece while cucumber at Tk 120 per kg, radish at Tk 50, tomato at Tk 120, brinjal (black) Tk 55 and brinjal (white) at Tk 36, lady’s finger at Tk 60, bean at Tk 60 and carrot at Tk 70 and papaya 30 per kg.  

Anisur Rahman, a retailer at the market, said the prices of winter vegetables depend on their supply. “As cyclone Bulbul damaged vegetables in many places, the supply is scanty this time which has pushed up the prices.”

In Karwanbazar, most of the vegetables are normally sold in bulk in 5 kgs. On average, cauliflower was selling at Tk 42 per piece  while cucumber at Tk 110 per kg, radish at Tk 40, tomato at Tk 110, brinjal (black) Tk 55 and brinjal (white) at Tk  36, lady’s finger at Tk 50,  bean at Tk 50, carrot at Tk 60 and spiny gourd at Tk 50 per kg.  

Shamim, a wholesaler at the market, said the prices of some vegetables came down due to an increase in supply.

He also claimed that vehicles for carrying vegetables are scanty on highways after the new Road Transport Act came into force last week. “That’s why the transport cost has gone up, resulting in the hike of vegetable prices,” he added.

Source: UNB