Weekly Kitchen Market

Chicken, vegetable get pricier due to inclement weather


FE Report | Published: March 01, 2019 09:44:30 | Updated: March 02, 2019 10:47:52


- Focus Bangla file photo

Chicken and vegetable became pricier further in the city's kitchen markets last week, which traders attributed to the odd climatic condition that squeezed supply.

Garlic prices also showed a hike while other essentials' prices remaining static at their previous highs.

Broiler chicken was sold at Tk 155-160, layer at Tk 180-185 per kilogram (kg) on Thursday, a Tk 10-15 hike in a week.

Atiqul Islam, a vendor at Rayer Bazar in the city, told the FE that prices of chicken started increasing due to decline in supply amid the prevailing inclement weather.

He said prices of the item increased by Tk 10 a kg just in last two days.

He said the prices of other protein items like beef, mutton and fish are now much higher in the market, which also fueled up demand for chicken.

Beef was sold at Tk 500-550, buffalo meat Tk 460-480, mutton Tk 700-820 and hilsa fish Tk 850-1,350 per kg based on quality on Thursday, showing 12-40 per cent hike in last one month, according to traders.

Mr. Islam said he bought broiler at Tk 148 a kg from a poultry farm at Baliarpur, Savar which was Tk 135-136 a kg seven days ago.

Apart from chicken, prices of vegetables including cauliflower, cabbage, brinjal, bitter gourd, radish, turnip, green chilli rose by Tk 5.0-20 a kg or piece in a week.

Imported Chinese garlic showed a Tk 10-15 hike per kg in a week as it was sold at Tk 90-110 a kg on Thursday.

President of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Ghulam Rahman, said broiler chicken and farm egg are two key protein sources for commoners across the country.

A hike in prices of such item directly hurts the limited income people, he said.

He said the government statistics showing that the production of key crops, egg, meat and fish has been making new records every year.

"But the commoners are not getting any benefit of such dividends due to the stronghold of middlemen over the value chain," he said.

tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com

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