More vegetables, little price relief for Rajshahi shoppers

Winter vegetables have begun arriving in Rajshahi’s markets, but prices have not fallen. Tomatoes, beans, red aubergines, carrots and green chillies remain expensive, while potatoes, papayas, Malabar spinach, red amaranth and bottle gourds are relatively cheap.

Despite the growing variety of seasonal vegetables, egg and chicken prices have changed little. Fish prices also remain high.

A visit to Shahebbazar Masterpara kitchen market in the city on Sunday (25 October) morning revealed the situation.

Malabar spinach was selling at Tk 10 per kg, red amaranth at Tk 20, potatoes at Tk 20 and papayas at Tk 25. Green bananas cost Tk 30 for four and bottle gourds Tk 30 each. Pointed gourds, taro and elephant foot yams were selling at Tk 40 per kg, onions at Tk 45, radishes and teasel gourds at Tk 50, okra and taro stems at Tk 60, yardlong beans, bitter gourds and cucumbers at Tk 70, and white aubergines and cauliflower at Tk 80.

Red aubergines and garlic were selling at Tk 100 per kg, green chillies and carrots at Tk 120, beans at Tk 140, and ginger and tomatoes at Tk 160.

Shoppers said the arrival of winter vegetables had brought more variety, but prices still offered little relief. High prices of tomatoes, beans, aubergines, carrots and green chillies, in particular, were forcing people on limited incomes to spend more.

Abdur Rahman Ayman, who had come to shop, said, “Winter vegetables have started arriving in the market. But prices have not fallen yet. Although some vegetables are available at low prices, several are quite expensive. As a result, it has become difficult to buy all kinds of vegetables at once.”

Egg prices have not fallen either. Eggs from local chickens were selling at Tk 75–80 for four, duck eggs at Tk 70, brown farm eggs at Tk 48–50 and white eggs at Tk 46.

Chicken prices also showed no significant decline, leaving shoppers facing higher bills when buying vegetables, eggs and chicken.

Fish prices remained high. Rui was selling at Tk 260–300 per kg, katla at Tk 300–350, tilapia and pangas at Tk 170–200, farmed koi at Tk 200–220 and farmed shing at Tk 300–350.

Tengra was selling at Tk 550–650 per kg, boal at Tk 600–800, shrimp at Tk 650–900 and coral at Tk 700–750.

Traders said winter vegetable supplies were gradually increasing. However, as the season was just beginning, production and supply of many vegetables had yet to reach normal levels, keeping some prices high. Prices could fall if supplies increase further in the coming days, they said.

Vegetable seller Abul Hossain said, “Winter vegetables have started arriving in the market. But supplies have not yet increased fully. That is why some vegetables are expensive. Prices may fall somewhat as supplies increase.”

Egg trader Ronok said egg prices had remained high for the past month. At other times, prices fall after rising, but they had remained unchanged over the past month.