Vegetable Prices Soaring in the Capital, Buyers Reducing Purchases

Staff Reporter | PNN

After Friday prayers, shoppers visiting Mohakhali and Sat Tala wholesale markets in Dhaka were disappointed by the high vegetable prices. Private sector employee Mobarak Hossain said, “Vegetables are 80 to 100 taka. I bought half a kilogram and feel disheartened.”

Market inspection shows that even over the weekend, most leafy greens and vegetables remain as expensive as last week. Except for potatoes, pumpkin, and raw papaya, almost all vegetables are priced between 80 and 100 taka or higher. In Mohakhali wholesale market, thin long eggplants were selling for 100–120 taka, while large round eggplants cost 120–140 taka.

Other vegetables are also expensive: bitter gourd and ridge gourd 100–120 taka, snake gourd 120 taka, pointed gourd 80–100, ivy gourd 70–80, arrowroot 80–100. Okra 70–80, papaya 25–30, green chilies 200–250 taka per kilogram. Among winter vegetables, bottle gourd is 50–80, tomato 140–150, carrot 80–120, local cucumber 100, and hybrid cucumber 80 taka per kilogram.

Shoppers feel that high prices are reducing purchases. Garment worker Salma Akter said, “Salaries are low, vegetables are expensive. So I only bought leafy greens.” Another buyer, Abdur Rahman, said, “I bought only a bunch of raw bananas. It’s difficult to touch other vegetables.”

Sellers cite seasonal factors, rainfall, and floods in northern regions as reasons for high prices. Mohakhali market seller Mehraj Hossain said, “We bought at a higher price, so we have to sell higher.” Shah Alam from Sat Tala market added, “Prices are already high at the farmer level. Moving through the market raises it further. Prices will gradually fall when winter vegetables arrive.”

Both buyers and sellers hope that market conditions will stabilize somewhat over the next few weeks.