Prices of daily essentials fall in Dhaka's kitchen market

Consumers in the capital are enjoying relief as prices of essential commodities, including lemons, cucumbers, eggplants, potatoes, and onions, have dropped. In several cases, prices are now lower than at the start of Ramadan.

Traders explained that before Ramadan, people often stock up for two to three weeks, pushing prices higher. With demand easing and fewer people in the city due to school holidays, prices have stabilised across the markets.

A market survey on Friday revealed potatoes selling at Tk 15–20 per kg and onions at Tk 40–45 per kg. In just one week, potato prices fell by Tk 5 per kg, while onions dropped by Tk 20 per kg.

Other vegetables, including lemons, cucumbers, eggplants, and green chilies, also experienced significant price reductions. Lemons that previously sold at Tk 100–150 per kg are now priced between Tk 40–80 per kg. Cucumbers are available at Tk 40–50 per kg, eggplants at Tk 60–80 per kg, and green chilies, which had reached Tk 200 per kg at the start of Ramadan, are now being sold at Tk 100–120 per kg.

Vegetables such as cauliflower, radish, beans, carrots, papaya, and cabbage are also cheaper, priced between Tk 40–50 per kg. Vendors expect prices to remain stable for now, with further declines likely as more people leave Dhaka for villages in the coming weeks.

Grocery items are seeing modest relief as well. Lentils are now selling at Tk 80–100 per kg (down from Tk 100–110), while loose palm oil has dropped by Tk 5 per liter to Tk 150–160. Prices of soybean oil, sugar, and other staples remain largely unchanged, with sugar at Tk 100–105 per kg and soybean oil at Tk 175–185 per liter.

Meat and eggs have also become slightly cheaper. Broiler chicken is being sold at Tk 165–180 per kg (down from Tk 190–200), golden chicken at Tk 300–320 per kg, and farm eggs at Tk 110–115 per dozen.