Commodity prices go up further

Staff Correspondent: Prices of most of the essentials, including sugar, broiler chicken, egg, potato, ginger, garlic and some vegetables, have shot up a couple of months ahead of the holy month of Ramadan.
City markets have witnessed a gradual price hike during the last couple of weeks, causing concern among low- and fixed-income people.A significant drop in LC opening for various commodities in recent months increased prices of imported commodities manifold in the country.
The demand for edible oil, sugar, chickpeas and lentils soared during Ramadan while the import of those products also declined compared to the demand. Prices of 12 food items have increased in the capital this week, according to data from the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
The sugar market was unstable in the last couple of months while on Thursday Bangladesh Sugar Refiners Association increased the price of loose refined sugar by Tk 5 per kg and packed refined sugar by Tk4 per kg. However, the traders are not selling sugar at the designated price since January this year.
Sugar was sold at Tk 115-120 per kg at the grocery shop at Muslim Bazar in Mirpur-12.
The price of local ginger increased to Tk 120-150 per kg from Tk 100-120 per kg while imported ginger increased to Tk 230-240 per kg from Tk 120-150 per kg in a week.
Local garlic price increased to Tk 120-150 per kg from Tk 100 per kg while imported garlic price increased to Tk 170-180 per kg from Tk 150 per kg in a week.
The price of farm eggs has increased to Tk 120-125 per dozen from Tk 115 per dozen in a week. Supply of eggs has declined from wholesalers and price increased by Tk 10 per dozen for this reason, said Aminul, an egg seller at Muslim Bazar. Broiler chicken price increased by Tk 10 per kg and was sold at Tk 160 per kg while Sonali chicken price increased by Tk 10 per kg and was sold at Tk 260 per kg and layer chicken was sold at Tk 240 per kg.
Price of fine rice has also increased by Tk 2 per kg in the capital and was sold at Tk 68-75 per kg on the day. Prices of most winter vegetables increased by Tk 5-10 per kg at the kitchen markets in the capital.
The price of cabbage and cauliflower was Tk 40-50 per piece, cucumber was Tk 50-60 per kg, brinjal was Tk 50-80 per kg, tomato was Tk 50-60 per kg, bean was Tk 40-50 per kg, bitter gourd was Tk 100-110 per kg, gourd was Tk 80-100 per piece and green chilli was sold at the previous high price of Tk 100-120 per kg.
The ribbed gourd was Tk 60 per kg, the pointed gourd was Tk 60 per kg, okra was Tk 60 per kg and lemon was sold at Tk 20 per fourpieces.The potato was sold at Tk 24-30 per kg and the newly harvested onion was sold at Tk 25-30 per kg.