The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Vegetables price has come down from the last week, yet discomfort continues in the hearts of consumers. 'But why' was a question to a lady who goes to markets at times? She said, "When the rice, the coarse flour and the edible oil price are showing unabated upward drift, how do you think that we can live in comfort? We are really tired of price beyond economics index."

At present, one kilogram of coarse flour sells at taka 38, almost double than that in January this year. "We used to include bread in our breakfast menu but following the abnormal rise of price we have abandoned our long time practice," said the lady with sigh. After several weeks' stability, the price of every kind of rice has increased.

Coarse rice now sells at taka 24 to 26, the miniket variety at taka 32 to 34 and the nazirail variety at taka 33 to 42. A rice retailer said, "We used to sell coarse rice between taka 16 and 18 in January, the miniket variety between taka 24 to 26 and the nizairsail variety between taka 22 and 25. At that time, we were interrogated a little but now we have to face a lot of questions from the consumers. Most of the time we remain silent because there is no answer with us."

A government employee said on condition of his name not to be disclosed, "The cost of living has increased, but our income has remain fixed. In this backdrop, we are really puzzled."

The edible oil price has further leaped. The two-liter can of Rupchanda and Teer brand soyabean oil sell at taka 185 each much to the dismay of consumers. It was taka 58 per liter in January. The reason is beyond explication except that the importers have reportedly been following go-slow policy in retiring the bill of exchange. "In truth, it appears to me that the Ministry of Commerce is unable to understand the meaning of the market economy. This may be one of the reasons that no appropriate measure has yet been taken to build up a counter market force.

On Thursday morning while going to Shaymoli by bus, a fish retailer said, "I earn taka about 200 daily if I can trade. But I have to go without job at least 10 days a month because of certain factors. It means that I am to meet 30 days' expenditure with 20 days' income and thereby toil to survive with my family of four."

However, the vegetables price has come down. On Friday morning at both Khilgaon and Khilgaon Taltola markets, the price of some of the items was as under per kilo:

Green pepper taka 50 to 60, potato taka 22 to 23, brinjal taka 30 to 36, papaw taka 10, cucumber taka 20, tomato taka 60, purbal taka 16 to 20, palk 24, calery taka 30, ladies finger taka 24, french (barboti) 28, bean taka 24 and karella taka 28.

Of the grocery items, onion still sells at taka 60, garlic at taka 48 and ginger at taka 60.

As for meat price per kilo, beef sells at taka 170 to 180, mutton at taka 220 to 240, fowl at (farm) taka 95, fowl (Pakistani) at taka 120 and fowl (local) at taka 250. Egg by four at v(local) 20, egg (farm) at 18 and egg (duck) at taka 22.

Meanwhile, the river shad price has gone up by taka 20 to 30 per kilo, said a seller.