A Correspondent :
All the vegetables are being sold in high price in the district.
The prices of vegetables are increased keeping pace with the price hike of necessary goods. The common people are the sufferers. Specially, the middle-class and lower middle-class people are the worst sufferers.
After visiting the main vegetable markets, it has been seen that the local bean and green chilli are being sold at Tk 160, teasel gourd, string bean, bitter-gourd, brinjal, cucumber, radish, and cabbage are being sold at Tk 75-80, pointed gourd and small rum are sold at Tk 50, Hybrid Potato at Tk 20 and local potato at Tk 40. A middle size local bottle gourd is being sold at Tk 80-100. One bundle of Red amaranth and radish amaranth are being sold at Tk 20, but papaya is being sold at Tk 20.
Ruhul Amin, a government employee, said, “The price of vegetables has been increasing abnormally for the last couple of months. So our expenses have been increased. We have to take loan as the expense increased more than monthly budget.”
Abu Bakkar, a kitchen market trader, said the production of vegetable is inadequate due to excessive rain and inclement weather. So the supply is decreasing day by day. Vegetable supply is less than the demand of people.
Businessmen Mohammad Nasir and Junu said the vegetable production is inadequate at different places in Bandarban. The vegetables have been damaged due to the repeated rain. So the prices of vegetables are out of reach.
Manjur Ali, a farmer of Taracha area of the district, said “I cultivated brinjal and radish in two bighas of land, but the incessant rain damaged the major portion of the vegetable garden, so I have to sell the rest vegetables in high price to minimize the loss.
While asked Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension Mohammad Altaf Hossain said the farmers could not cultivate vegetables for rains; some vegetables have been cultivated on the high lands of different upazilas which are being supplied now. So the prices of vegetable are much.
If the weather remains normal, the price may fall within few days, he also said.
