As Muslims worldwide embark on the holy month of Ramadan amid the Covid pandemic, soaring vegetable prices in the kitchen markets of Dhaka threaten to sour the festive spirit for the residents of the city.  Also read: Prices in kitchen markets on the up ahead of Ramadan The prices of aubergine, cucumber, bitter gourd, ladies finger, zucchini, carrot, pointed gourd (patal), arum and green chili have all drastically shot up over the past week in the kitchen markets of the capital, derailing the household budget of many residents who are already hit by the Covid-induced economic slowdown. While residents blame the government for its failure to rein in the rates in the kitchen markets during the festive season, traders attribute the surge to short supply amid the Covid pandemic and rise in demand during Ramadan. A reality check by UNB on Tuesday revealed that traders at several city markets were selling aubergine for Tk70-80 a kg, cucumber for Tk80, bitter gourd for Tk70, ladies finger for Tk60-70, green chili for Tk80, zucchini for Tk60, carrot for Tk60, pointed gourd for Tk60-65, arum at Tk50-55 and yardlong bean for Tk60 a kg. Also read:Govt reschedules office timing for Ramadan According to the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) data, on April 12, the price of each kg of potato increased by 10.53 percent, onion by 4 percent, garlic by 14.29 percent, local dried pepper by 11.11 percent and the imported one by 3.85 percent, ginger by 29.41 percent and a hali egg by 6.90 percent as compared to the last week.

The prices of most vegetables have doubled in the capital’s kitchen markets compared to a week ago due to supply crunch, according to consumers. At several kitchen markets in the city on Sunday, each kg broiler chicken was selling at Tk170-180 which was Tk150-160 a week ago. It was sold for Tk120-130 last month. Besides, the prices of different daily essential commodities including soybean and palm oil, chicken, flour and sugar keep on soaring in Dhaka’s kitchen markets ahead of the month of Ramadan. The consumers urged the government to take proper steps to control the prices at the kitchen markets in the holy month of Ramadan amid the COVID-19 crisis. Also read: Prices of daily essentials soar in kitchen markets Shariful Alam, a resident of Amulia, said he has to purchase most vegetables at double the prices compared to a week ago. “Today I bought a kg of aubergine and cucumber at Tk50 which was Tk25 respectively in the last week. Besides, I purchased a kg broiler at Tk170 which was Tk150 a week ago,” he also shared. A hali of lemon (four pieces) was selling at Tk40-60, each kg arum at Tk40-50, bitter gourd at Tk50-60, papaya at Tk40, bean at Tk40-60 and yardlong bean at Tk50, lady's finger at Tk60, calabash at Tk40-50, and patal (pointed gourd) at Tk50-60 in capital.