Supply crunch hikes veggie prices in Rangpur division

Prices of vegetables and leafy greens have escalated in markets across Rangpur division due to disruption in supply following recent heavy rains.

Consumers have been left utterly baffled and disappointed by the spiraling prices.

"Prices of daily essentials have been rising abnormally in recent times. Vegetables which could be purchased at Tk 30 per kg even a couple of weeks ago are now being sold at Tk 60-65 per kg. If this trend continues, it will be difficult to make both ends meet for common people," said Majidul Islam, a shopper at Goshala Bazar in Lalmonirhat town.

Noor Hossain, a vegetable seller at the kitchen market, said supply of vegetables and leafy greens, such as spinach, decreased in the local markets due to damages sustained from the incessant rains in recent times.

"As the supply is low, wholesalers are buying the products at a high price from farmers, so we are also compelled to purchase the products at a higher price from wholesalers. As a result, retail price is on the rise. However, it is expected that the prices will come down in a couple of weeks," he also said.

Suren Chandra Sen, a farmer of Karnapur village under Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, said due to the recent rains, he got substantially low yield of his vegetables and spinach cultivation on four bighas of land.

"I cultivated early-winter vegetables and spinach on four bighas of land. A quarter of it got damaged in the rains," said Sabur Ali, a farmer of Naodanga village under Kurigram's Phulbari upazila.

According to sources at Department of Agricultural Extension, spinach and various early-winter varieties of vegetables have been cultivated on 9,000 hectares of land in five districts of Rangpur division, while preparations are on for cultivating winter vegetables and spinach on 26,000 hectares of land.

"Vegetables and spinach got damaged by a considerable extent due to waterlogging caused by the recent rains, which led to a shortage in supply and eventually increased prices. However, prices may come down soon as supplies become normal," said Abdullah Al Mamun, deputy director of DAE in Kurigram.