Essential commodity prices rise 4.39% in October

Prices of essential commodities rose by an average of 4.39% in October, following a 3.13% increase in September, adding to the financial burden on consumers, according to a report by the Consumers Forum (CF).

The consumer rights organisation said in its latest market review that the combined price increase over the two months stood at 7.52%, reflecting continued pressure on household budgets.

Fish recorded the highest price increase in October, rising by an average of 11.72%, followed by spices, including cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and cumin, which became 10.30% costlier.

Prices of onion, garlic and ginger increased by 7.79%, while fuel oil rose by 6.02%, sugar by 4.93% and edible oil and dalda by 4.80%, the report said.

Rice prices increased by an average of 2.62%, while flour and wheat flour rose by 3.25%. Egg prices climbed 1.42%, meat 0.38% and tea 0.14%.

Prices remained unchanged in seven commodity categories, including salt, dairy products, toothbrushes and toothpaste, chanachur and biscuits, 11 commonly used medicine brands, and notebooks and pens.

In contrast, vegetable prices declined by 3.12%, while gold and silver prices fell by 4.77%.

In a statement issued on 8 November, CF General Secretary Emdad Hossain Malek said the arrival of winter vegetables in markets in Jashore, Bogura and Rangpur had pushed down prices at the producer level. 

However, farmers were struggling to recover their production costs.

In Bogura and Rangpur, cauliflower and cabbage were selling for Tk6-12 each, radishes for Tk6-8 each, bottle gourds for Tk8-10 each and four green bananas for Tk5-8.

However, the same vegetables were selling at substantially higher prices in Dhaka, highlighting the wide gap between farm-level and retail prices.

Cauliflower and cabbage were selling for around Tk50 each in the capital, while papaya and radish were priced at Tk30 per kg, bottle gourds at Tk60 each and four green bananas at Tk40-50.

The CF warned that continued increases in essential commodity prices could fuel public discontent, particularly among low- and middle-income households already struggling with rising living costs.

The organisation said higher salaries and allowances alone would not be enough to ease the financial pressure unless house and shop rents, education expenses, healthcare costs and other essential expenditures were also kept affordable.

It urged the government to strengthen market monitoring from production centres to retail outlets to ensure fair prices for both farmers and consumers.

The CF also called for consultations with market experts and appropriate legal action against excessive profiteering by traders to prevent unjustified price increases.

The report was prepared using market data collected directly from Karwan Bazar, Rampura, Meradia, Bhuiya Bazar in Aftabnagar, and Meena Bazar and Shwapno supermarkets in Dhaka.