Along with price hikes of chicken and fish, some vegetables also saw rising prices in the kitchen markets of the capital yesterday, adding to the never-ending burden on the pockets of low-income groups.

Visiting Kochukhet, Shewrapara, Ibrahimpur, and Karwan Bazar, this newspaper found that brinjal, papaya, drumstick, snake gourd, pointed gourd, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, and green chilies have seen a price rise of Tk 10-20 per kilo compared to last week.

Long brinjal is being sold at Tk 80-100 per kg, up from Tk 60-80 per kg; while regular brinjal is being sold at Tk 60-80, up from Tk 50-60. Pointed gourd per kg is being sold at Tk 60-70, an increase from Tk 50-60 last week. Cauliflower and cabbage are going for Tk 40-60 per kg, compared to previous price of Tk 30-50.

Simultaneously, per kg of drumstick is available for Tk 140-160, up from Tk 120-140 last week; while each kg of snake gourd is being sold at Tk 60-80, up from Tk 50-70. Each kg of papaya is selling for Tk 80, up from Tk 60-70.

Meanwhile, carrots and green chilies saw a significant surge in prices, with per kg of carrots being sold at Tk 120-130, up from Tk 80-90; while green chilies are being sold at Tk 140-160, up from Tk 100-120 last week.

Abdul Ali, a vegetable trader at Karwan Bazar, said the prices are high as it is not the season for some of the aforementioned vegetables.

This fresh hike in vegetable prices severely affects low and fixed-income people, forcing them to cut their consumption.

Tania Begum, 35, at Karwan Bazar, said, "Meat and fish have already gone out of our hands. Vegetables are the only items we can afford. But when I went to buy vegetables, I found that prices have soared as well."

"Where will we go if prices continue to rise? How will my children's nutritional needs be met?" the garment worker asked.

Shakil Hossain, an employee of a grocery shop, said when the prices of some items go up, they do not decrease the same way they increased.

"If prices fall by Tk 5, it then increases by Tk 10-15 within a few days again. No one is being able to control the kitchen marker prices," he said.