Kamruzzaman Bablu :
Ongoing heavy rainfall and inflow of water from upstream waste away most of the croplands of the country causing acute shortage of vegetables in the markets across the country.
The short supply of vegetables has also causes prices of the kitchen items up significantly in the markets.
Official data shows that the rising floodwater damaged more than 15,000 hectares of land of at 18 northern districts of the country.
According to a market visit, this correspondent found that all types of vegetable prices increased by Tk 30 to 40 per kg due to cut in supply and an adverse impact of deluge.
Traders claimed that the standing vegetables have severely been damaged in Bogra, Sirajgonj, Ghaibandha, Nilphamari, Natore and other northern districts as flood water inundated the cultivated fields. “So the prices of fresh produce fluctuate depending on supply. Prices of green chilli have risen due to floods in the country’s north region,” said Kamal Ahmed, a wholesaler, who was offering a kilogram of different at Tk 50 to Tk 60 in the city’s Kawran bazaar area which was less than Tk 30 couple of days ago.
Besides, NN also found that, Green chilli, a daily necessary, was selling between Tk 100-120 per kg at different city markets since last three days, up from Tk 60 a week ago.
Prices of eggplant, pointed gourd, ridge gourd and leafy vegetables like red amaranth have also soared. Eggplant of different qualities was selling at Tk 50-60 a kg, an increase by Tk 15-20 in a week. However, a few retailers were asking Tk 60 and above for a kg of eggplant on the plea of better quality.
Lokman Haidar, who runs a shop with his brother at Zigatola kitchen Market, said prices of eggplants went up by at least Tk 15-20 in the last one or two weeks. He sold the item at Tk 50-60 a kg yesterday. A week ago, he sold it for Tk 40-50 per kg.
However, prices of potatoes remained stable at Tk 25 a kg, Lokman added. Prices of onion, sugar, garlic, salt and bottled soybean oil have soared, according to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh. Onion was selling at Tk 25-45 per kg yesterday, up from Tk 20-40 a month ago.
Apart from vegetables, prices of rice, onion, sugar and salt have also gone up in the last week. “The rainfall and flooding in northern districts are to be blamed for the hike in vegetable prices,” Liakot Hossain, a vegetable retailer at New Market kitchen market told The New Nation on Monday.
Kholilur Rahman, another vegetable retailer at the market, was found asking Tk 40 for each kg of pointed gourd. He said prices of green chilli had been rising for the last three to four days due to poor supply.
Alamgir Hossain, a vegetable wholesaler at Kawran Bazar kitchen Market, said prices of vegetables usually remained high in the rainy season compared to those in other seasons of the year due to flooding.
According to data of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), floodwater in at least 18 northern districts has inundated crops, including vegetables, paddy and jute, on more than 15,000 hectares of land.
A senior DAE official said vegetable plants would be affected the most. “Plants will die if they remain submerged for a couple of days. This may affect vegetable production.”
