The price of vegetables in Jashore kitchen markets shot up due to the hike in fuel price, adding woes to the fixed-income people who are already overburdened with the soaring prices of daily essentials.
The traders have claimed that the hike in fuel price, coming into effect from Friday last, directly affected the vegetable markets as the price of all vegetables rose from Tk 5 to Tk 10 per kg.
The customers expressed dissatisfaction over the price hike of vegetables in the local markets, including the retail shops.
Jashore vegetables account for a lion share of supply in the country.
During a recent visit to the Satmaile retail market on Sunday, this UNB correspondent learnt that many local traders have purchased vegetables from the market and supplied these to different parts of the country.
The traders said following the hike in fuel price, the price of vegetables also shot up ranging from Tk 10 to Tk 15 per kg and they feared suffering a loss.
Babu, a vegetable wholesale trader, said "The transport cost has also increased from Tk 5000 to Tk 7000 and the truck drivers took an extra Tk 5 for per kg vegetables and I don't know how much profits I would earn after selling my products."
Abdul Sobhan, the owner of the market, said a vegetable-laden truck demanded more money as the transport cost rose from Tk 5,000 to Tk 7,000 to go to Dhaka from Jashore and the price of per kg vegetables including eggplant, bean, pointgourd, bottlegourd, papaya, snake bean, radish, bitter gourd also were up from Tk 5 to Tk 7 per kg. After reaching Dhaka, the price of vegetables increases three times.
Abdul Khalek, a farmer of Satmile area, said the production cost of one kg of eggplant is Tk 30. "I have sold these Tk 31-32 per kg. But now the transport cost has also risen, prompting us to raise the price of vegetables too," he said.
Zico, a vegetable trader in Boro Bazar of Jashore district town, said "we are badly affected by the price hike of vegetables and the number of customers in retail markets is very poor."
Ali, a resident of Police Line, said one kg of eggplant was being sold at Tk 50 which days ago was available at Tk 30, one Kg Yam was being sold at Tk 50 which was available at Tk 35 and one kg green chili was being sold at Tk 200 compared to Tk 150 before fuel price hike.
The transport workers also demand more money as wages, making it a major reason behind the price hike of vegetables, he said.
Md Shaon, a farmer of Abdulpur village, said "I have brought five bighas of land under pointed gourd and bitter gourd cultivation. The workers demand extra money to harvest vegetables from the land and the transport cost has also shot up. So it is impossible to sell vegetables at previous rates."