Common people gasp to survive as commodity prices soar

Common people continue to grapple with high prices of essential commodities in markets around the country, including the capital. Prices of several food items have jumped again this month, while traders warn that the prices of some of the products that remained stable will also rise soon.

Prices of several commodities in the capital’s market are high. Consumers are especially feeling the brunt of increased prices of tomatoes, eggs, chicken, various kinds of fish, sugar and soybean oil.

A visit to the Malibagh Kitchen Market in the capital on Saturday (last week) revealed that tomatoes are sold at Tk100 to Tk120 per kg. Depending on the size, a dozen of eggs were sold at Tk140 to Tk160. Egg prices have remained in this high range for more than a month. Earlier, a dozen of eggs cost Tk120 to Tk130.

Chicken prices have also jumped. Broiler chicken is being sold at Tk190 to Tk200 per kg, compared to Tk170 to Tk180 only a few days ago.

Sonali chicken is now sold at Tk340 to Tk360 per kg, while hybrid Sonali or colour-bird chicken costs Tk300 to Tk330 per kg.

Consumers are also forced to shell out more on fish. Tilapia is sold at Tk250 to Tk260 per kg, and pangas cost Tk230 to Tk250. In March, tilapia were available at Tk200 to Tk230 while pangas cost Tk180 to Tk220 per kg.

Prices of rui and katla have also jumped. A standard sized rui or katla costs Tk400 to Tk450 per kg while a large rui is sold at as high as Tk450 to Tk500.

In tandem with fish and meat, various vegetables are also being sold at high prices. Pointed gourd is sold at Tk80 per kg, yardlong beans Tk120, ridge gourd, sponge gourd and snake gourd Tk80.

Round eggplant costs Tk140 per kg while long eggplant is Tk100. Bitter gourd and cucumber are sold at Tk80, tomatoes Tk100, carrots Tk140, taro Tk60 and sweet pumpkin Tk60 per kg. Okra is sold at Tk60 per kg. Each bottle gourd costs Tk60 to Tk70 while four green bananas are sold at Tk40.

Soybean oil and sugar, two other essential commodities, has also added to the woes of consumers. On 2 September, the price of the bottled soybean oil was increased by Tk5 per litre. As a result, the new price of one litre of the bottled soybean oil now stands at Tk204 instead of Tk199.

Meanwhile, the loose sugar has also become more expensive in the last month. The loose sugar is sold at Tk115 per kg while the packaged sugar costs Tk120.

Repeated increases in the prices of various commodities have hit the low-income families the hardest.

Rabiul Islam, a resident of Malibagh working in a private company, said that it was possible to run his household at relatively lower cost a few months ago, but controlling the expense of the family has now become difficult.

He said his family had to cut out several things from their food list in order to reduce their expenses. They had reduced the purchase of beef as well as fruits. He has even stopped taking his family on holidays, something they used to do before. Despite this, he said he now has to take loan to meet the monthly expenses.

Rabiul Islam said that the prices of vegetables, fish, oil, sugar and other essential commodities have increased.

“A few months ago, I could complete my monthly grocery shopping within Tk6,000 to Tk7,000 but now the same shopping costs as much as Tk9,000 to Tk10,000,” he said.

He said prices of eggs, sugar, oil and fish have increased further in recent times. The price of Sonali chicken is also about Tk350 per kg or higher.

As a result, he said, managing the additional expense has become difficult for his family.