Prices of egg, onion and most vegetables rise 6.0-128pc in past 3 months

Prices of egg, onions and most of the vegetables rose by 6.0-128 per cent over the past three months, causing further woes to the consumers, according to the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC).

In its latest report on essential commodities, the BTTC said although the prices of eggs, onions, and potatoes remained comparatively low than that of last year, the recent price surges hit people with limited income.

Over the past three months, the prices of eggs, potatoes, onions, colocasia stem, pointed gourd, teasel gourd, lady's finger, brinjal, and ash gourd went up significantly.

Among the items, the prices of green chilli saw the highest 128 per cent rise, the report said, adding that the price of green papaya, on the other hand, registered a 50 per cent decline during the period.

However, the BTTC report mentioned that prices of eggs, onions, potatoes, green chilli, and brinjal were 6.0 to 57 per cent lower at the beginning of this month in comparison with that in September 2024.

According to the report, retail prices of eggs, onion, and potato were 16 per cent, 33.5 and 57 per cent lower respectively compared to that in September 2024.

Potatoes were being sold at Tk 25-30 a kg, onion Tk 75-85 a kg, it said, adding that egg prices were now ranging between Tk 148 and 156 a dozen as against its record price of Tk200 a dozen a year back.

The BTTC in its report said the import duty on eggs was reduced to 13 per cent from 33 while the rate of duty was totally waived from onion import.

On the other hand, the government also reduced the import duty on potatoes to 20 per cent from the previous 33 per cent.

The lower import duties, combined with increased domestic outputs helped keep prices of the aforesaid three essential items at reasonable levels, according to BTTC.

The Commission in its report mentioned that the prices of colocasia stem, pointed gourd, teasel gourd, and lady's finger were 15 to 40 per cent higher this year due to the crop-loss losses in some areas following heavy rains.

Green chilli prices maintained significantly high in summer following a lower output coupled with higher import duties.

In the report, the BTTC observed that the import duty on green chilli exceeded Tk 36 per kg, which was a key reason for its price surge.

However, the BTTC claims that a few vegetable items, including green papaya and brinjal, were 6.0-15 per cent lower this year compared to that of last year.

The present declining trends in the prices for some other products over that of last year helped ease burden on consumers, particularly in urban areas.

The BTTC, however, stressed the need for keeping the vegetable markets stable in the backdrop of the prevailing decline trend in the prices of eggs, onion, and potato.

It also suggested ensuring better storage facilities, direct farmer-to-consumer markets and stronger monitoring to help prevent volatility in the essential markets for the sake of greater interest of both growers and consumers.

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