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Prices of onions, potatos and other winter vegetables hit a three-year low last week, bringing great relief for consumers, but woes for farmers.
However, the prices of commodities like rice, edible oils, meat and fish were higher at kitchen markets, as usual.
Potato is now selling at Tk 20-30 a kg in the market. Its price was Tk 40-50 a kg a week ago and Tk 60-80 a kg a month ago.
The FE correspondent visited different kitchen markets in the capital and found the newly harvested potato selling at Tk 20-30 a kg.
According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), potato price in January is 55-percent lower than December's. However, it is 25-percent lower than the same time last year.
TCB data shows the current price of potato is a three-year low. Onion prices have also marked a three-year low.
Newly harvested (murikatra) seed onion is available at Tk 40-50 a kg in the groceries and Tk 30-40 a kg in wholesale markets.
The prices of all vegetables have declined further by 20-30 per cent.
Cauliflower and cabbage are being sold at Tk 20-30 a piece, tomato at Tk 30-40 a kg, cucumber at Tk 40-50 a kg at local markets.
Abdul Wahed, a vendor at Rayerbazar in the capital, says that potato prices are lower this year during its peak season. Its price was higher throughout the year 2024.
The steep falls in the prices of the essential commodities have brought great relief for consumers, he says.
The government controlled the potato market by reducing its import duty. Later, 0.2 million tonnes of potato were imported.
New potato has been brought to domestic markets in advance with an eye to making a windfall profit, but things happened otherwise. Its price is decreasing.
Meanwhile, the country has witnessed a bumper potato production this year. So, its retail price has been low due to an increased supply.
Besides, the wholesale price of potato has declined sharply in the last one month. So, farmers fear losses. However, the prices of staple rice, edible oils, broiler chickens, beef, mutton (khasi) and fish remained higher.
Coarse rice is in deficit in Dhaka as it sells at Tk 60-62 a kg, medium quality at Tk 68-72 a kg and finer rice at Tk 78-94 a kg in the mainstream market.
Soybean oil is being retailed at Tk 175-180 a litre and palm oil at Tk 168-175 a litre.