Following the Eid holidays, the potato and onion market in Bangladesh saw a notable increase, with prices climbing by Tk 5.0-10 per kg. Despite the end of the festivities, the expected normalization of kitchen and grocery prices did not materialize, further exacerbated by a rise in prices at district hubs. According to sources, prices for potatoes varied, with cardinal and diamant varieties reaching Tk 50-60 per kg and BARI alu 29 at Tk 65-70 per kg. Local onions were priced between Tk 55-65, while imported varieties fetched Tk 65-70 per kg.
One vendor observed a steady weekly increase in potato prices since Ramadan's start, escalating from an initial Tk 35 to Tk 50-52 per kg, contrasting sharply with last year's wholesale market opening prices of Tk 18-20 per kg. He attributed market instability to the influence of major traders and cold storage owners.
Despite government efforts to cap potato prices at Tk 29 per kg, costs had risen to Tk 35 per kg before Eid. Mostafa Azad Chowdhury Babu, president of the Bangladesh Cold Storage Association, noted a potential 20-30% decrease in potato production compared to the previous year, with prices at the farm level reaching above Tk 28 per kg, significantly higher than last year's maximum of Tk 16 per kg. This reduction in output is expected to keep prices above Tk 50. The Agriculture Ministry, however, maintained its production forecast of over 12 million tons.
[ Tk 100 = €0.85 ]
Source: thefinancialexpress.com.bd