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Prices of vegetables and fish witnessed a continued uptick in the last week while prices of selected varieties of rice experienced a modest decline, according to traders and kitchen market sources.
Prices of most vegetables rose by Tk10 a kilogramme (kg), settling between Tk70 and Tk 80, with the premium seasonal varieties such as teasel gourd and drumstick fetching as much as Tk120-150 per kg.
A spot check across a few markets in the capital on Friday confirmed the upward trend.
Abdus Sobhan, a vendor at Katasur in Mohammadpur, attributed the price surge to seasonal transition.
"The winter harvest cycle has ended, and summer produce is yet to stabilise, creating a supply gap," he explained. "This has pushed up prices by Tk20-40 a kg over the past month."
Consumers, who had benefited from stable vegetable prices between January and March, now face steeper costs. Even prices of typically affordable vegetables like papaya have risen to Tk60-80 per kg.
Current market rates show pointed gourd, okra, and ridge gourd at Tk70-80 per kg, while bitter gourd, brinjal, and snake gourd command Tk80-100 a kg.
Seasonal veggies such as eddo and drumstick are selling at Tk120-150 per kg.
The fish market also mirrored the trend, with traders reporting dwindling supplies of cultured fish and restricted river catches due to the ongoing ban on fishing juvenile hilsa (jatka) under national hilsa conservation efforts.
"Hilsa prices have jumped by Tk200-300 per kg in a week, now ranging from Tk1,600 to Tk3,500 depending on size," said Zakir Hossain, a vendor at Rayer Bazar.
Cultured shrimp is selling at Tk800-1000 a kg, while river-caught shrimp reached Tk1,300-1,500 per kg.
Cultured ruhi, tilapia, and pangas saw increases of Tk20-50 per kg, with cultured ruhi and katla now priced at Tk350-500 per kg.
In contrast, poultry prices remained stable, with broiler chicken selling at Tk180-190 per kg and Sonali/Pakistani breed at Tk280-300 a kg.
The rice market, however, presented a mixed trend. Price of newly-produced miniket saw Tk4.0-5.0 drop a kg, now retailing at Tk80-90 per kg.
"Fresh arrivals of miniket and BRRI dhan 28 have reduced wholesale prices by Tk200 per 50-kg sack," said Humayun Ali, a trader at Rayer Bazar.
Meanwhile, coarse and medium rice varieties held firm at Tk58-62 and Tk 68-72 a kg respectively while premium Najirshail varieties sold for Tk85-105 a kg.
Traders, however, anticipate further price decline as Boro harvest has peaked this month.
Onion prices remained static at Tk60-65 a kg over the past week which jumped by Tk20 a kg over the last month.
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