Prices of garlic and ginger soared in the last seven days ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, increasing sufferings of the consumers, especially the commoner, who had already been hit hard by price hike of other essentials amid the pandemic.
The two main cooking ingredients witnessed a 20-30 per cent hike in prices in the past seven days, according to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
However, prices of imported garlics jumped to Tk 180-200 per kilogram (kg) in the retail markets on Thursday, showing a Tk 30-40 a kg hike in a week.
Retailers and wholesalers have traded blames for such a big increase in garlic prices just within a week.
Local garlic prices also rose significantly in the past week, soaring to Tk 120-130 a kg on Thursday from Tk 90-100 a few days back.
But the state-owned TCB said it recorded a 20-30 per cent hike in retail prices of garlic in the past seven days.
Prices of ginger also surged in the period. Local and imported Indian varieties of ginger were selling at Tk 150-Tk 160 per kg on the day while Chinese ones at Tk 180-220 a kg, a 40 per cent hike in a week, the TCB recorded.
Riaz Ali, manager of Bismillah Store at the city's West Dhanmondi, told the FE that prices of spices like garlic and ginger witnessed a significant hike in the last few days at wholesale level ahead of the festival of sacrifice when millions of animals are sacrificed and cooked with these ingredients across the country.
"I bought Chinese garlic at Tk 170 a kg from the city's Shyambazar wholesale market on Thursday, which was Tk 125 to Tk 130 per kg just seven days back," said Mr Ali.
Shyambazar-based trader Md Sharifuzzaman said prices of imported varieties of garlic and ginger increased by Tk 8.0-10 a kg due to a rise in import costs.
But the retailers raised prices of the two main spices by 40-50 a kg, he alleged.
He claimed that the imported garlic was traded at Tk 132-140 a kg at Shyambazar on the day which was retailed at Tk 180-200 a kg at the city grocery shops.
He said that local garlic were sold at Tk 60-70 a kg at the wholesale on the day while the grocers were selling those at Tk 100-130 a kg, a yawning gap in prices at wholesales and retails.
He also said that production of local garlic is very good in the current year but its demand is much lower at the local markets compared to that of the imported ones.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) vice president S M Nazer Hossain said traders are raising prices at their wish amid a lack of market monitoring.
He said that the import cost of garlic and ginger increased recently to some extent but the cost was still below Tk 100 a kg.
He opined that the government should ensure strict monitoring to keep prices of essentials within the reach of the commoners, especially the low-income group.
Prices of kitchen staple onion, both local and imported varieties, however, were static in the week at their previous highs of Tk 45-55 a kg depending on quality.
Rice, beef, edible oil, sugar and vegetables also remained static, maintaining their previous highs.
