Economic Reporter :
The Dhaka city dwellers are still counting high prices for winter vegetables despite a significant decline in prices at growers’ level at the beginning of full harvest time.
Prices of some vegetables slightly fell in city kitchen markets last week but are still 80-400 per cent higher than that of farmers’ end, according to official data.
Market observers said a huge price gap between growers’ level and Dhaka’s retail markets is depriving consumers of buying seasonal crops at rational rates.
Middlemen are gobbling most benefits, they added. Data available with the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM) shows prices of 15 winter vegetables in Dhaka are 80-400 per cent higher than that of growers’ level.
Cauliflower and cabbage were selling at Tk 35-45 apiece, brinjal at Tk 40-55 a kg, bean at Tk 40-60 a kg, radish at Tk 25-35 a kg and bottle gourd at Tk 40-60 apiece.
Pointed gourd, okra, bitter gourd and snake gourd retailed at Tk 45-60 a kg, coriander leaf at Tk 150-180 a kg, leafy at Tk 10-25 a bunch, according to DAM.
Early variety of tomato has hit market but prices were much higher at Tk 130-140 a kg on Thursday. Imported tomato was trading at Tk 100-120 a kg.
Carrot of imported Chinese varieties was selling at Tk 80-100 a kg as local produce is yet to hit the market. DAM Assistant Director Touhid Md Rashed Khan said cauliflower sells at Tk 8.0-14 apiece at Rangpur and Bogura farm level which is being wholesaled at Tk 18-25 at Karwanbazar. Country bean is selling at Tk 8.0-18 a kg in Jashore and Khulna which is being wholesaled a Tk 20-40 a kg in Dhaka and it retailed at Tk 40-60. Khan said radish is selling at Tk 4.0-6.0 a kg in Rangpur which is traded at Tk 12-16 a kg in Dhaka’s wholesale outlets and it retails at Tk 25-35 a kg. A bunch of spinach is selling at Tk 1.5-2.0 in Tangail which is selling at Tk 10-15 in Dhaka, he added.
DAM Director General Mohammad Yousuf said middlemen are eating up most of the benefits, simply depriving both farmers and consumers of fair prices. “We’re going to make an initiative to fix maximum prices of 23 to 25 items from farm level to retail level to ensure checks and balances.”
The Dhaka city dwellers are still counting high prices for winter vegetables despite a significant decline in prices at growers’ level at the beginning of full harvest time.
Prices of some vegetables slightly fell in city kitchen markets last week but are still 80-400 per cent higher than that of farmers’ end, according to official data.
Market observers said a huge price gap between growers’ level and Dhaka’s retail markets is depriving consumers of buying seasonal crops at rational rates.
Middlemen are gobbling most benefits, they added. Data available with the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM) shows prices of 15 winter vegetables in Dhaka are 80-400 per cent higher than that of growers’ level.
Cauliflower and cabbage were selling at Tk 35-45 apiece, brinjal at Tk 40-55 a kg, bean at Tk 40-60 a kg, radish at Tk 25-35 a kg and bottle gourd at Tk 40-60 apiece.
Pointed gourd, okra, bitter gourd and snake gourd retailed at Tk 45-60 a kg, coriander leaf at Tk 150-180 a kg, leafy at Tk 10-25 a bunch, according to DAM.
Early variety of tomato has hit market but prices were much higher at Tk 130-140 a kg on Thursday. Imported tomato was trading at Tk 100-120 a kg.
Carrot of imported Chinese varieties was selling at Tk 80-100 a kg as local produce is yet to hit the market. DAM Assistant Director Touhid Md Rashed Khan said cauliflower sells at Tk 8.0-14 apiece at Rangpur and Bogura farm level which is being wholesaled at Tk 18-25 at Karwanbazar. Country bean is selling at Tk 8.0-18 a kg in Jashore and Khulna which is being wholesaled a Tk 20-40 a kg in Dhaka and it retailed at Tk 40-60. Khan said radish is selling at Tk 4.0-6.0 a kg in Rangpur which is traded at Tk 12-16 a kg in Dhaka’s wholesale outlets and it retails at Tk 25-35 a kg. A bunch of spinach is selling at Tk 1.5-2.0 in Tangail which is selling at Tk 10-15 in Dhaka, he added.
DAM Director General Mohammad Yousuf said middlemen are eating up most of the benefits, simply depriving both farmers and consumers of fair prices. “We’re going to make an initiative to fix maximum prices of 23 to 25 items from farm level to retail level to ensure checks and balances.”
