Vegetables, chicken and eggs steady in Dhaka markets, but fish and meat prices still bite

Prices of vegetables, chicken and eggs have steadied somewhat in Dhaka's markets, but there is still no relief in fish and meat. Early winter vegetables reaching the market have brought down the price of a few items, yet most goods remain comparatively expensive, and buyers are paying extra for fish and meat.

A visit on Friday (6 November) to the wholesale depots and nearby retail markets at Jatrabari and Kaptanbazar found beans selling at Tk 60 to 80 per kg and aubergines at Tk 60 to 80. Cauliflowers sold at Tk 30 to 50 per piece and cabbages at Tk 30 to 40. New potatoes sold at Tk 70 to 90 per kg and old potatoes at Tk 20 to 30. Local onions were Tk 50 to 60 per kg and green chillies Tk 70 to 80.

Red spinach sold at Tk 15 per bundle, basil-leaf greens at Tk 30 to 35, and bottle gourds at Tk 40 to 80 per piece. Although supplies of winter vegetables have begun to rise in the market, prices have not yet eased across the board.

Jobayer Hossain, who came to buy vegetables at Jatrabari market, said winter vegetables had started arriving but prices had not really fallen. To shop for his family, he said, he has to cut spending on other items.

Another buyer, Abul Bashar, said that although a few vegetables were affordable, overall market costs were not coming down. With fish and meat so expensive, he said, meals often have to be made with vegetables alone.

Jatrabari vegetable seller Salauddin said depot prices do not stay the same every day: when supply is high, prices fall a little, and when a vegetable is short, its price rises. If the supply of winter vegetables grows further, prices may come down, he said.

In the chicken market at Kaptanbazar, broiler chicken sold at Tk 170 to 180 per kg and Sonali at Tk 320 to 330. At wholesale, broiler was Tk 165 to 170 and Sonali Tk 300 to 315. Layer chicken sold at Tk 310 to 320 per kg and local chicken at Tk 630 to 650. At Jatrabari market, broiler sold at Tk 180 to 185 and Sonali at Tk 330 to 340 per kg.

Kaptanbazar chicken seller Sabuj Mia said wholesale chicken prices were not fluctuating much, although retail prices vary somewhat with the size and quality of the bird. Buyers, too, now check prices before buying, he said.

Egg prices were also stable. At Kaptanbazar, red eggs sold at Tk 145 to 150 per dozen, white eggs at Tk 135 to 140, and duck eggs at Tk 180 to 185. At wholesale, 100 red eggs cost Tk 1,080 to 1,100. Kaptanbazar wholesaler Amanur Rahman said retail prices are set on the basis of wholesale prices; when supply is normal, prices stay roughly at the same level, though the per-dozen price can differ slightly from market to market.

Fish, by contrast, brought no relief for buyers. At Jatrabari market, rui sold at Tk 350 to 450 per kg, with large rui reaching Tk 700. Katla was Tk 300 to 550, tilapia Tk 220 to 250, and pabda and shing Tk 400 to 600 per kg.

Sabur, who came to buy fish, said prices in the fish market were very high: buying even one kilogram of fish for the family now requires careful calculation, larger fish cost even more, and he has had to cut the amount of fish he buys compared with before. Fish seller Abzal said fish prices depend on size and species — large rui and katla cost more, and for smaller fish, supply and demand also create differences in price.

High prices also continued in meat. In markets across the capital, beef sold at Tk 780 to 810 per kg and mutton at Tk 1,200 to 1,300. Buyer Nizamul said beef costs nearly Tk 800 per kg and mutton even more; even on a holiday, he often cannot buy meat for his family despite wanting to, and ordinary people would get some relief if prices fell.

Overall, despite some stability in vegetables, chicken and eggs, the high prices of fish and meat remain a major pressure for ordinary buyers. To manage the cost of daily necessities, low- and middle-income families must calculate carefully before deciding on every purchase.