Prices of broiler chicken go beyond consumers’ reach

Many low-and limited-income people have started excluding broiler chicken from their menus due to the abnormal price hike of one of the main sources of protein.

The prices of most key essentials including farm chickens, eggs, meat, some vegetables and chilies became pricier in a week and remained almost beyond the purchasing capacity of common people.

Many market observers have predicted that the prices of the necessary items might see further hike ahead of Ramadan, likely to begin from the last week of March unless the government does not take the necessary steps to head off the mad bull.

According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) the price of broiler chickens increased further to Tk 230 a kg, marking a Tk 10-15-a-kg further hike and Tk 50-a-kg rise in two weeks and Tk 70-a-kg increase in three weeks.

many kitchen markets in the capital Dhaka, the correspondent found that the price of broiler chicken on Friday rose to Tk 225 to Tk 230 per kilogram which was within Tk 190 to Tk 200 a week ago.

Meanwhile, egg prices surged to Tk 150-155 a dozen which was Tk 130 to Tk 140 in the previous week.

A dozen of duck eggs and local chicken eggs are being sold at Tk 220 and Tk 190 respectively at Kawran Bazar kitchen market on Friday.

Pakistani or Sonali chicken prices shot up to Tk 350-360 a kilogram from a maximum Tk 320 a kg while local chickens went beyond the buying capacity of common people within a price range of Tk 600-650 a kilogram.

Besides, per kilogram of beef is being sold at Tk 700 to Tk 750 which was Tk 700 to Tk 720 last week while goat meat is being sold at Tk 1000 to 1100 per kg which was Tk 900 to Tk 1000 last week.

Vegetables like bitter gourd, long-yard bean, snake gourd and pointed gourd were available in the markets but prices reached a record high, according to traders and consumers.

Bitter-gourd price jumped to Tk 160 a kg at wholesales and it is being retailed at Tk 180 to Tk 200 kg, Sohag, a trader of Kawran Bazar market, said.

Meanwhile, per kilogram of long-yard beans was retailed at Tk 120-130 and brinjal Tk 60-90 a kg on the day.

Pumpkin is being sold at Tk 50 to Tk 60 based on size, gourd at Tk 50 to Tk 60, sweet pumpkin at Tk 40 to Tk 50 per kilogram, rinds at Tk 60 per kilogram, papaya at Tk 30 to Tk 40 per kilogram.

Per kilogram of green chillies is being sold at Tk 150 to Tk 160 in the market, per kilogram of onion at Tk 35 to Tk 40, garlic at Tk 200, its local variety at Tk 120 to Tk 130 and per kilogram of potato is being sold at Tk 25 to Tk 30.

Per kilogram of unpackaged sugar is being sold at Tk 115 to Tk 120 while per kilogram of unpackaged wheat is being sold at Tk 65 to Tk 65.

Besides, per kilogram of local lentils is being sold at Tk 140 and Indian lentils at Tk 120 to Tk 125.

A liter of soybean oil is being sold at Tk 187 in the market and per kilogram of salt is being sold at Tk 38 to Tk 40.