Beef, potato, chicken, pulses get costlier ahead of Ramadan

With only one or two days left for the fasting month of Ramadan to begin, prices of beef, chicken, potato, a few pulses, riverine fish and vegetables witnessed a fresh hike last week.

Despite the hike, the current prices of all essentials, except for rice and edible oil, are static or lower now than those of the last Ramadan, according to kitchen market sources.

Beef price has surged by Tk 20-30 a kg as it is being sold at Tk 780-820 each kg while potato shows Tk 5.0 hike per kg as is retailed at Tk 25-30 each kg.

Broiler chicken is retailed at Tk 200-210 a kg and Pakistani or Sonali chicken at Tk 310-320 a kg, marking a Tk10 hike per kg in a week.

Chickpea price shows an upheaval as the price declined to Tk 100-120 a kg from Tk 110-140 a kg and then again increased by Tk 5.0- 10 a kg. The retail price is now Tk 105-130 a kg based on quality.

Sugar and onion prices remain static at Tk 120-125 and Tk 45-55 a kg respectively.

Date prices witness a decline with an increase in supply from the importers' end, say traders.

Lower quality dates are retailed at Tk 180-200, medium ones at Tk 300-500 and finer varieties at Tk 600-1400 a kg.

Noyon Islam, a grocer at Rayer Bazar, says the prices of pulses and potato have increased slightly. But the current prices of those products are Tk10-20 less than a year ago.

He says sugar, onion, ginger and garlic are also cheaper this year than last year.

However, volatility in the edible oil market continues as one litre, two litre or five litre bottles of soybean oil are yet to be supplied by the distributors to the groceries.

Soybean oil is being traded at Tk 185-200 a litre by grocers and vendors against the maximum retail price of Tk 175.

Rice prices remain static at previous highs as coarse varieties of rice are sold at Tk 60-62, medium varieties at Tk 70-72 and finer varieties at Tk 85-100 a kg.

Prices of riverine fish showed a further hike last week by Tk 50-100 a kg. Shoul fish is retailed at Tk 650-900 a kg, shrimp at Tk 750-1,450 a kg, tengra and golsha at Tk 600-850 a kg, river ruhi at Tk 700-1,250 a kg, boaal at Tk 950-1,200 a kg, kachki at Tk 700-800 a kg and hilsa at Tk 1,050-2,250 a kg depending on sizes.

Puffed rice price has increased slightly by Tk 10 a kg but molases is static.

Meanwhile, prices of brinjal, cucumber and coriander leaves have increased by Tk 10-20 a kg ahead of the Ramadan.

Prices of most of the vegetables are much lower this Ranadan than those of the last year, says Abdul Gafur Mia, a vendor at Mohammadpur Krishi Market.

However, lemon prices showed a double hike last week as it is being retailed at Tk 50-70 a hali (four pieces).

Cucumber and brinjal prices have increased by Tk 20 a kg in a week as those were sold at Tk 60-80 a kg on Friday.

Consumers Association of Bangladesh vice president SM Nazer Hossain says despite the approaching Ramadan, the edible oil market in Bangladesh continues to experience instability.

This volatility is causing a significant concern among consumers, especially during a time when demand typically rises, he said.

He added refiners in the mid-February had announced that supply of edible oil would normalise by February 26.

tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com