Market conditions have shown signs of improvement, with prices of vegetables, rice, flour, chickpeas, potatoes, and onions decreasing compared to last week, though some items remain costlier than the same period last year. However, higher-priced bottled soybean oil has begun to appear in limited quantities.

Traders attribute this price drop to increased supply of winter vegetables and the arrival of new rice harvests. Additionally, reduced import duties on certain goods by the interim government have boosted imports, enhancing market supply and stabilizing prices.

Visits to Mahakhali, Tejgaon Colony, and Karwan Bazar markets on Thursday revealed these trends. Mid-grade rice varieties like BR-28 and Pajam, popular among buyers, were selling at BDT 57-60 per kg, down from last week’s BDT 60-65. Coarse rice varieties (China IRRI and Guti Swarna) were priced at BDT 50-52 per kg, while fine rice (Miniket) saw a decline from BDT 70-75 to BDT 68-70 per kg.

Chickpeas dropped by BDT 5 per kg, now selling at BDT 125-130. Loose and packaged flour are priced between BDT 40-50 per kg, with a yearly reduction of BDT 5-10. Despite increased supplies in large markets, some smaller markets reported lower availability of oil.

Onions experienced significant price reductions. High-quality local onions, once sold at BDT 140-150 per kg, now range between BDT 104-110, while hybrid varieties dropped to BDT 80-90 per kg. Imported onions are priced at BDT 75-80, compared to BDT 100 a few weeks ago. Last year, onions were priced at BDT 200-240 per kg, marking a sharp drop. Traders anticipate further declines as new harvests arrive.

The supply of winter vegetables has increased, pushing prices lower. Most vegetables now sell for BDT 40-50 per kg. Beans, priced at BDT 80-100 two weeks ago, are now BDT 40-50. Radishes have dropped from BDT 40 to BDT 20 per kg, while turnips and eggplants now sell for BDT 40-50 and BDT 40-60 per kg, respectively.