Rising vegetable, egg and chicken prices squeeze household budgets

Consumers in the capital are under increasing financial strain as the prices of vegetables, eggs and chicken have risen at the same time, prompting many households to reduce their purchases and make changes to their daily diets.

Economist and researcher Dr Jahangir Alam Khan told the Daily Sun that high prices, particularly of eggs and chicken, were preventing consumers from getting adequate amounts of protein-rich food.

“The prices of eggs, milk and meat have exceeded the purchasing capacity of consumers,” he said.

He cautioned that insufficient protein intake could affect people’s ability to work and contribute to various health problems.

Meanwhile, green chilli prices have declined to Tk 250-300 per kg from Tk 400-450 after imports began, although prices remain relatively high.

The government allowed green chilli imports on Sunday and issued Import Protocols (IPs) to 505 traders for importing 26,500 tonnes. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, 1,421.74 tonnes had entered the country by Thursday.

Ariful, a vegetable trader at Mirpur-13, said heavy rainfall had damaged crops and contributed to the price hike. However, he noted that prices had started to ease following the arrival of imported chillies and expected them to fall further next week.

A visit to kitchen markets in Mirpur-6, Mirpur-10, Mirpur-13 and Shewrapara on Friday found most vegetables selling for Tk 80-100 or more per kg.

Farm eggs were priced at Tk 150 per dozen, compared with Tk 120 a week earlier. Eggplant was selling for Tk 100-180 per kg, tomatoes Tk 140-200, bitter gourd Tk 100-120, while pointed gourd, okra, teasel gourd and ridge gourd were priced at Tk 80-100. Potatoes were selling at Tk 30, onions at Tk 50 and green papaya at Tk 40 per kg.

Chicken prices also remained high. Sonali chicken was selling at Tk 340 per kg, Sonali hybrid at Tk 300, red layer at Tk 350, broiler at Tk 190 and indigenous chicken at Tk 740.

Beef was priced at Tk 780-800 per kg, while mutton was selling for Tk 1,300. Hilsa weighing 500-700 grams was priced at Tk 2,000-2,200 per kg, while one-kilogram hilsa cost Tk 3,200.

Among other fish, farmed pangas was selling for Tk 180-200 per kg, rohu Tk 400-550, tilapia Tk 250 and shrimp Tk 800-1,400.