Broiler chicken and ginger became pricier again last week raising woes of the consumers further.
Prices of some vegetables and egg, however, showed a mixed trend while that of other essential items remained static over the week.
Broiler chicken was sold at Tk 135-145 per kilogramme (kg) and layer at Tk 170-180 a kg on Thursday, Tk 10 hike in one week.
Md Merajul, a vendor at Mohammadi Housing Ltd in Mohammadpur, told the FE that prices of chicken were increasing amid rising demand for the protein item.
He said an increase in prices of other protein sources including beef, mutton and fish was a key reason behind the hike.
Beef was sold at Tk 500-550 per kg, buffalo meat at Tk 460-480, mutton at Tk 750-800 while another protein source Hilsa fish at Tk 650-1350 a kg based on size.
The price of indigenous chicken (deshi), however, remained static, maintaining its previous high. One kg local chicken was selling at Tk 420-450 on the day.
Local ginger was sold at Tk 110-130 per kg and imported Chinese variety at 140-160 a kg at retail markets- 10 per cent hike, according to the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
Ginger prices also showed a surge at wholesales with one kg tuber spice witnessing Tk 6.0-8.0 hike at Shyambazar and Karwan Bazar wholesale markets in a week.
Shyambazar-based spice importer Narayan Chandra Saha told the FE that the prices of the cooking ingredient increased as import cost of Chinese ginger rose.
He noted that Chinese ginger prices increased by 24-25 per cent to US $1,200-1,220 a tonne in December last.
Narayan Chandra also mentioned that production of local ginger has declined this year.
The prices of some vegetables including local bean, brinjal, tomato, seasonal potato, and bitter gourd declined by Tk 5.0-10 per kg. The items were selling between Tk 30 and Tk 55 a kg.
Prices of pointed gourd, sponge gourd and snake gourd increased by Tk 5.0-10 per kg and were selling at Tk 40-60 a kg.
The prices of four pieces (one hali) of farm egg which increased to Tk 36-38 with the beginning of the week, eased down to Tk 34-36 on Thursday, according to the city groceries.
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