As the city suffers through sweltering temperatures, the prices of essential commodities in the capital's kitchen markets are also heating up.
A visit to the capital’s Karwan Bazar on Friday morning shows that the price of broiler chicken hasn’t decreased, remaining at Tk200-220 per kilogramme which was Tk160-180 before Ramadan.
Meanwhile, the prices of vegetables have shot up significantly.
Sellers attribute the rising cost of vegetables to the harsh summer heat affecting crop yields. On the contrary, consumers allege that traders are exploiting the situation by inflating prices for higher profits.
In particular, the demand for lemons, crucial for making refreshing beverages in the heat, has peaked, with prices ranging from Tk20-30 per bunch. Green chillies are now selling for Tk60-90 per kg.
Staples such as potatoes, onions, and garlic have also seen price hikes. Potatoes are currently priced at Tk50 per kg, local garlic at Tk160-180, and onions at Tk60-65. Chinese garlic has reached Tk220 per kg.
The meat sector sees a slight reduction in prices due to lower consumer demand. Beef is being sold for Tk 750-800per kg, mutton for Tk1,000, and goat meat for Tk900.
The fish market also shows a moderate state in prices; for instance, hilsa, a local favourite, is now selling at Tk1200 per kg for sizes between 500-700 grams, and large shrimp at Tk1200-1400 per kg.
Other fish varieties also show stable pricing: shing fish at Tk450, gulsha at Tk750, pabda at Tk400, tengra at Tk700, and puti at Tk220 per kg. Common varieties such as telapia, tatkini, and pangas are uniformly priced at Tk220 per kg.
The vegetable market is where consumers feel the most heat, with no item selling for less than Tk 60 per kg.
Pointed gourd (potol) is fetching Tk140, spiny gourd (kakrol) Tk100, capsicum a Tk500, bitter gourd (korola) Tk80, and sponge gourd (usta) Tk60 per kg. Tomatoes are also priced at Tk60 per kg.
Bottle gourd (lau) is available at Tk80 per piece, papaya at Tk 60, raw bananas range from Tk30-40, and okra is marked at Tk80 per kg.
Prices for cilantro stand at Tk30 for 100 grams, cucumbers at Tk80, round eggplants at Tk120, long eggplants at Tk80, carrots at Tk80, and snake gourd (chichinga) at Tk80 per kg.
"With the rising costs, the days when a few thousand Taka were enough for groceries are long gone. Now, we need a pocket full of money to shop, but our salaries are not keeping up with these market rates," said Abul Hasan, a private sector employee.
Meanwhile, traders said the extreme heat is damaging vegetables in the fields, leading to a reduced supply and subsequently higher prices.
