Unrelenting rain across Bangladesh has had a sharp impact on prices in vegetable markets.
In Dhaka, no vegetables seemed available for less than Tk 60 per kg. Some were sold at Tk 80 per kg, Tk 100 per kg, with some even rising past Tk 100 per kg.
Onions, a daily necessity for Bangladeshi cooking, are selling at over Tk 100 per kg. The price of green chillies has dipped slightly compared to last week, but still hits eye-watering prices of Tk 240-280 per kg depending on quality.
Such was the situation in the capital's Mohakhali wet market, and Niketan Bazar on Friday.
Vendors say the prices of all vegetables have jumped due to the continuous rains and flooding in different parts of the country affecting their production.
Niketon Bazar trader Hannan Bepari told bdnews24.com: “Many of the vegetables we sell come from the north. Several days of rain have damaged the vegetable crop. That's why the wholesale price is high, so retail prices are even higher.”
At the market, retailers were selling per kg of tomato at Tk 130-140, bitter gourd Tk 80, green bean Tk 120, spiny gourd Tk 80-100, pointed gourd and okra Tk 60-70, sponge gourd at Tk 60-80, green papaya Tk 50-60, pumpkin Tk 50-60 depending on the type, bottle gourd Tk 60-120 depending on the type, cucumber Tk 80, snake gourd at Tk 80, taro at Tk 80-90, taro stems at Tk 100, and eggplant at Tk 80-100.
Limes cost Tk 10 to Tk 40, coriander leaves Tk 350-400 per kg and green bananas Tk 40 for a bunch of four.
In the market, the price of red spinach is Tk 15 per bunch, bottle gourd leaves are Tk 40, radish greens are Tk 15, spinach is Tk 15-20, water spinach is Tk 10, and Basella spinach at Tk 30.
Shah Alam, a vegetable seller at the Mohakhali wet market, told bdnews24.com: “The supply of vegetables is low due to rain, so the price has gone up a bit. There’s nothing we can do. The price is higher at wholesale, so this is how we sell at the retail level.
The price of potatoes has not dropped yet. Last week the price of the vegetable jumped from Tk 60 to Tk 70 per kg. Sellers had no justification for the jump in the price of the vegetable, which was sold at Tk 30-35 per kg last year.
The price of onions is sky-high. Domestic onions are being sold at Tk 100 to Tk 110 per kg. Apart from this, domestic hybrid varieties of onions are being sold at rates of Tk 90-100 per kg. Indian onions are being sold at Tk 90 per kg. In a week, it appears onion prices have jumped by Tk 10.
But consumers say the traders are simply using the recent rains as an excuse to hike prices. Most were despondent at the rising price of vegetables.
Housewife Jharna Begum came to the Mohakhali wet market to purchase vegetables.
“The traders are doing whatever they want. Whatever they tell you, the price of vegetables I bought yesterday for Tk 50 has gone up by Tk 10. It is unacceptable. We are struggling to raise our family.”
Private employee Abul Hossain came to buy vegetables at the same market. He said: "Potatoes are sold for Tk 65 per kg. They are asking Tk 140 for tomatoes. But, if you look into it, you will see the producers may have sold it at rates of Tk 30-50 per kg. Sellers raise prices whenever they can and no one is bringing the situation under control."
Khaled Hossain, a day labourer, had come to the Niketan Bazar to buy vegetables.
He was agitated by the high prices.
“As soon as you enter the market, you start to lose your temper. It seems like everyone is charging whatever they like. You can’t get through the day anymore. So far, we have somehow survived. But now it seems like they want to kill us off.”