Egg, chilli, brinjal prices hit record highs

Woes of consumers, who are already in a fix amid the rocketing trend in prices of essential commodities, mounted further on Monday as some commodities, including eggs, green chilli and brinjal, hit record highs.

Green chilli price hit Tk600-650 a kg in the city on Monday morning which was Tk350-400 a kg earlier.

The current chilli price is creeping towards the previous all-time high during the Awami League regime when the item shot up to Tk700-1000 a kg in the first week of July 2023, according to Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM).

Wholesale price of the item soared to Tk500-550 a kg at Karwan Bazar, Shyambazar and many wholesales in the Beribadh which was maximum Tk 320 a kg on Saturday, said Md Juel Rana, a grocer-cum-vegetable vendor at West Dhanmondi.

Hadisul Islam, a trader at Rayer Bazar-Beribadh wholesale market, told the FE that import was stopped for the last six days (since October 9) for the Durga Puja festival.

He said local chilli has sustained almost a complete damage in key hubs amid heavy rain and flooding for last two months.

He said import would start from Tuesday which could bring some relief in the chilli market.

However, egg price witnessed Tk10-15 hike a dozen just in a day as it was retailed at Tk190 a dozen in the groceries.

Agents supplied eggs at Tk14.5-14.8 apiece to the groceries in the morning which was Tk 13.8 apiece on Saturday, Jainul Abedin, a grocer at East Rampura in the city, said.

However, traders at Tejgaon in the city said big companies are supplying eggs at above Tk12.5 apiece against the government fixed rate of Tk10.6 apiece.

President of Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association Sumon Hawlader told the FE that big ten companies have been manipulating the market.

He said government policy is also helping them in the manipulation.

He also said all the big ten companies have been selling eggs at Tk 2.0-2.5 apiece higher than the government fixed rate.

He added the poultry giants also dominate the day-old-chick (DOC) and feed market.

Though the government has fixed the layer DOC price at Tk 57, companies are selling those at Tk90-100 a bird, he continued.

Feed prices for the layer chickens are Tk60-65 a kg though 92 per cent of the feed ingredients are now produced in Bangladesh.

He said without a hold over the biggies, the prices might remain in the same sky.

Meanwhile, Finance and commerce Dr Salehuddin Ahmed visited Karwan Bazar wholesale market on Tuesday.

He said the market manipulators will be brought to book.

However, the government is going to start open market sale of some products where fresh vegetables will be added for the first time in the country's history, said insiders.

Apart from fresh veggies, potatoes, eggs and onion will also be provided at subsidised rates.

tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com