Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
Prices of edible oil and vegetables went up again last week, adding to sufferings of the common consumers.
Vegetable prices continued to rise. Brinjal now sells for Tk120-200 per kg, bitter gourd for Tk 100-110, pointed gourd for Tk 100-110, okra for Tk 100-110, long yard beans for Tk 110-120, teasel gourd for Tk 90-100, ridge gourd and snake gourd for Tk 80-90, and tomatoes for Tk 140-160 per kg.
Prices of leafy vegetables also jumped to Tk20-40 a bunch, compared to Tk 10-30 earlier.
Early winter vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, and country beans have started to appear in the market, but prices are still high.
Small cauliflowers and cabbages are selling at Tk40-50, while medium-sized ones cost Tk60-70 each. Country beans are being sold at Tk180-220 per kg.
A few vendors were found selling newly-harvested potatoes, priced at Tk 200-220 per kg.
Vendor Ranajit Das said these are imported from India. Locally stored potatoes, however, remain stable at Tk18-25 per kg.
Another vendor, Kamal Hossain, said vegetable prices are likely to stay high until winter crops start arriving in large quantities from the last week of November.
He explained that heavy rains in September and October delayed early winter crop production.
Meanwhile, bottled soybean oil price increased to Tk195 a litre, up from Tk 189 though the government and the refiners were yet to come to an agreement.
Meanwhile, loose soybean and palm oil prices also increased by Tk 4.0-5.0 per litre in a week.
Loose soybean is being sold at Tk 182-185 a litre and palm oil at Tk 165-172 a litre, according to market sources.
Earlier, on October 13, refiners had announced a plan to raise oil prices by Tk 5-13 per litre, but the commerce ministry stopped that move.
An official said the govern-ment is still reviewing the production costs, and a final decision is yet to be made.
However, onion prices dropped slightly-- by Tk 5.0 a kg over the past week. The spice was sold at Tk 75-85 a kg on Thursday.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com