Shawdesh desk:

The prices of most essential commodities are still high in kitchen markets of the country, which is putting additional pressure on the fixed-income people.

The low-income and middleclass people have reached the pinnacle of helplessness as they have to cope with the rising prices.

Higher prices of essentials are putting pressure on consumers, forcing them to change their shopping pattern and buy fewer products than their demands.

Some shoppers are responding by trimming the number of products they are buying and trading down to less-expensive essentials.

Shadiul Islam, an employee of a private company, who went to Mirpur-6 kitchen market in Dhaka, said they are now purchasing a lower number of commodities due to their higher prices.

“I’ve bought 500 gram brinjal at Tk 40 , 500 gram pointed guard at Tk 30, 200 gram green chili at Tk 30, 500 gram ribbed gourd, four pieces chicken and some two item of fishes,” he said.

“To cope with the higher prices I buy beef two times each month while I bought beef, eight piece chicken and six to seven items of vegetables each week earlier,” he added.

Like him other consumers at the kitchen market was seen buying a lower number of ites and quantity than the previous time.

Many people have reduced the consumption of beef, mutton, chicken, fish and other protein items due to the higher prices.

Halim Mia, a chicken shop owner at the market, told the Daily Sun that sales of chicken reduced by 30 percent as people are not purchasing adequate chicken.

People are purchasing a half quantity of vegetable for coping with the higher prices, vegetable trader Raihan said, adding that their sales also reduce in the recent time.

Prices of eggs, rice, atta, maida, anchor boot, onion, garlic, dry chili, turmeric, cumin and some other vegetables have increased at kitchen markets.

While visiting Mohammadpur Krishi Market in Dhaka, this correspondent found that retail prices of fine quality miniket rice increased to Tk 66-70 per kg from Tk 62-66 per kg in a week, nazirshal rice increased to Tk 80 per kg from Tk 70 per kg in a week and BR-28 rice increased to Tk 55 per kg from Tk 55 per kg in a week.

Prices of packet atta has increased by Tk 12-17 per 2 kg packet and was sold at Tk 110-115 per 2 kg packet and loose maida has increased by Tk 2-3 per kg and was sold at Tk 58-60 per kg.

Prices of anchor dal has increased by 8.70 percent in a week and was sold at Tk 55-70 per kg, local onion increased by Tk 2.56 percent in a week and was sold at Tk 35-45 per kg, imported onion increased by Tk 11.76 percent in a week and was sold at Tk 45-50 per kg and imported garlic increased by 17.24 percent in a week and was sold at Tk 160-180 per kg, according to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).

Dry chili price increased by 6.82 percent and was sold at Tk 190-280 per kg, turmeric price was hiked by 9.09 percent in a week and was sold at Tk 160-200 per kg, cumin price rose by Tk 3.66 percent in a week and was sold at Tk 400-450 per kg, farm egg price went up by 1.25 percent in a week and was sold at Tk 38-43 per four pieces.

Price of broiler chicken has declined to Tk 155-160 per kg from Tk 170 per kg in a week, price of sonali chicken declined to Tk 280-290 per kg from Tk 300-320 per kg in a week while beef and mutton was sold at previous high price Tk 700 and 950 per kg.

Carrot price increased to Tk 140-150 per kg from Tk 80-100 per kg, yardlong beanprice declined to Tk 60-80 per kg from Tk 80-100 per kg, spiny gourd price declined to Tk40-50 per kg from Tk 80-100 per kg, brinjal price declined to Tk 60-80 from Tk 80-100 per and green papaya price increased to Tk 60-70 per kg from Tk 40-50 per kg.

Tomato was sold at Tk 50-60 per kg, pointer guard was Tk 50 per kg, okra was Tk 50 per kg, arum lobe was Tk 80 per kg, guard was sold at Tk 60 per kg, and red amaranth was sold at Tk 15 per bunch at the market.