Beans that were selling at Tk 25-30 a kilogram just a few days ago, now cost Tk 60-70 a kg, according to market monitoring.
Prices of vegetable items such as aubergine, cauliflowers, cabbages, bottle gourd and potatoes marked a rise and so did onions.
Vegetable prices doubled in a week at Bogra’s Mohasthan Haat, a major wholesale market.
Traders said dense fog and unusual cold weather have affected both farming and transportation of vegetables, pushing up the prices.
At Karwan Bazar kitchen market on Sunday, retailers charged Tk 30-35 for a medium sized cauliflower and Tk 50 for a bigger one. “This is the lowest price I can offer you,” the traders commonly told the customers. Bottle gourd was selling at Tk 80 each, as against Tk 50 earlier.
“We have to pay Tk 25 for an item whereas the farmers at villages are offered nominal prices. Unfortunately, the government pays no attention to the market,” said Naimul Islam, a resident of Begunbari, who came to buy vegetables at Karwan Bazar.
The year 2017 witnessed a price-hike of summer and rainy season vegetables, due to heavy rains and floods, causing suffering to commoners.
Prices of vegetables increased 24 per cent in the year compared to those of the previous year, according to the Consumers’ Association of Bangladesh (CAB).
However, prices came down as the winter vegetables arrived in the market. But the cold wave instigated a price rise, creating supply shortfall, market watchers said.
“Vegetable production is affected by fog and this disrupts the supply chain,” retailer Abul Hashem told Prothom Alo.
At Mohasthan, Faruk Hossain told Prothom Alo that the price of aubergine rose from Tk 15 a kg to Tk 45 as on Sunday.
Source: Prothom-Alo.