Rising food bills due to the continuous rise in prices of essential commodities, including chicken, fish and vegetables, have shrunk the savings of people with the lower and middle-income group being hit the hardest.

People, particularly those with limited income, continue to suffer due to uncontrolled prices of different essentials.

Many fixed-income people were facing trouble maintaining their family expenses due to the hike in the commodity prices. They have been forced to shrink their diets.

Besides, many had to borrow money from lending agencies or other people for meeting the daily needs.

Even families with higher income had to cut their regular expenses to cope with the rising costs.

Due to the increase in the prices of essential products, many were buying fewer items than their need and the sale has also decreased, said Saidur Rahman, owner of a shop at Mirpur in the capital on Friday.

“What will we consume? Prices of fish and other essentials have skyrocketed with the price of chicken witnessing a unusual hike over the last few weeks,” Aminul Islam, a consumer at Mirpur-6 Kitchen Market, told the Daily Sun.

While visiting Mirpur-6 Kitchen Market, it was seen that buyers and sellers were locked in arguments over the unbridled prices of various items.

Several people were seen returning empty-handed after hearing the inflated prices.

Broiler chicken was selling at previous high price of Tk 240-260 per kg, marking a Tk 80-100 hike in one and a half months.

Sonali chicken price has shot up to Tk 350-380 per kg from Tk 340-350 per kg a week ago while layer chicken price increased to Tk 320-360 a kg and beef price to Tk 800-820 each kg from last week’s Tk 750-780.

However, the price of farm egg declined to Tk 130 per dozen from Tk 140-150 a week ago.

One and half months back, beef was selling at Tk 700-720 per kg, broiler chicken at Tk 150 per kg, Sonali chicken at Tk 240 per kg and farm egg at Tk 130 a dozen.

  The price of chickpeas has decreased by Tk 5-10 per kg to Tk 90.              The price of ginger and garlic is still high while onion has seen a rise by Tk 5 per kg in its price with both local and imported varieties selling at Tk 40-45 per kg.

Loose sugar was retailing at Tk 115-120 per kg against government-fixed Tk 107.

Lentil was selling at Tk 130-150 per kg, anchor beson at Tk 75-85 per kg and boot beson at Tk 100-110 per kg.

While visiting different vegetable markets in Mirpur area, it was seen that some earlier varieties of summer vegetables were selling at a very high price while the supply of winter vegetables was too low.

Drumstick was selling at Tk 180-200 per kg, Yardlong bean at Tk 100-120 a kg and arum lily and stolons of taro were selling at Tk 100-140 each kg.

Bitter gourd was selling at Tk 70-80 per kg, bean at Tk 50-60 a kg, pointed gourd at Tk 60-80 per kg, tomato at Tk 40-50 each kg, brinjal at Tk 60-90 per kg and ribbed gourd was retailing at Tk 60-70 per kg.

Gourd was available at Tk 50-70 per piece, pumpkin at Tk 20-40 per slice and lemon at Tk 50-80 per four pieces.

Ruhi and Katla fishes were retailing at previous high price of Tk 350-400 per kg and tilapia and pangas at Tk 200-220 per kg.

The price of farmed climbing fish was Tk 260-300 per kg and that of mrigel Tk 350-400 per kg.