21/07/2012 (Financial Express) - Prices of almost all essential items went up in the city's kitchen market before the day of the holy month of Ramadan that starts from today (Saturday).

Essential commodities mostly consumed in the fasting month including cooking oil, chickpeas, sugar and potato and also vegetables especially brinjal further increased in the local markets with the lower and fixed-income groups struggling to meet their basic requirements.

Prices of bottled edible oil of different brands, namely Rupchanda, Teer and Fresh, now hover between Tk 135 and Tk 138 up by Tk 3 a litter and two and five litre containers were selling at Tk 266-270 and Tk 665 -670 respectively.

Loose soybean oil also hovered at 125-126 per litre which was Tk 123-124 in the previous week. Price of palm oil hovered at Tk 97-98 per litre.

According to the state-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), price of loose soybean oil container jacked up by 3.78 per cent in a month.

Friday chickpea was sold at Tk 85-90 per kg, which was Tk 75-80 last month.

TCB data showed, prices of chickpea increased by 9.68 per cent and 11.84 per cent in a month and over year respectively.

Sugar price, which, however, remained stable during last month, now is selling with a hike by Tk 2-3 and ranged from Tk 55 to Tk 56 last week.

Local garlic was retailing at Tk 50-70 per kg while the imported variety ranged from Tk 90 to Tk 100.

TCB data said imported garlic price increased by 11.76 per cent over the last month.

Ginger continued to be pricey and ranged from Tk 60 to Tk 75 per kg.

Prices of all kinds of red lentil were up during last few days. Local variety is being sold at Tk 105-110 per kg, Nepalese variety at Tk 110-112 per kg. Mung dal ranged from Tk 110 to Tk 120 per kg.

Local lentil rose by 6.34 per cent and the Nepalese variety 5.58 per cent over the month, the official data showed.

Potato price also marked a rise by 8.70 per cent in a month and ranged from Tk 24to Tk 26 per kg.

Both local and imported Indian variety maintained the earlier high trend. Local onion ranged from Tk 30 to Tk 35 kg and the imported variety was at Tk 24-25 per kg.

The TCB data said onion prices increased by 22.92 per cent over the last month.

Egg prices ranged from TK 36 to Tk 38 for every four pieces.

However rice and flour prices also remained steady.

The prices of broiler chicken hovered between Tk 165 and Tk 170 Friday while beef was selling at Tk 280-285per kg marking a hike by Tk 5 in a week and mutton at Tk 400-450 per kg.

Salt (iodised) prices maintained the earlier high trend and ranged from Tk 18 to Tk 35 a kg. Salt prices increased by 65.63 per cent in a year.

Prices of different vegetables witnessed a fresh hike by Tk 5.0-30 per kg. Tomato was selling at Tk 100-120, brinjal at Tk 50-600 per kg, bitter gourd at Tk 40-45, cucumber at TK 35-40 and green chili at TK 80 per kg.

Fish prices also remained stubbornly high. A pair of medium-sized hilsha was selling at Tk 1200-1800, ruhi at Tk 250-300 per kg, 'katla' at Tk 230-260 per kg, 'tengra' at Tk 350-450 per kg, 'poa' and 'magur' at Tk 600 per kg, 'pangas' at Tk 120-130 per kg, 'tilapia' at Tk 130-150 per kg and shrimp at Tk 300-650 per kg.