Dhaka Onion Prices Surge to Tk 160/kg; Traders Blame Supply Crunch, Consumers Demand Market Monitoring

Onion prices in Dhaka's kitchen markets have experienced an abrupt and significant surge, jumping by Tk 40–50 per kilogram within just two days. As of Saturday, the retail price for the essential kitchen staple reached Tk 150–160 per kg.

A trader in Uttar Badda noted that wholesale prices jumped from Tk 100 per kg on Tuesday to around Tk 140–160 per kg on Saturday, pushing the palla price from Tk 485–500 to Tk 680. Another trader reported that the price of each sack increased by Tk 850–1,000.

The price hike is occurring despite the early-season 'murikata' onions starting to arrive in the market. One Rampura trader expressed confusion, stating, "Prices should have gone down, not up."

Although the new 'murikata' onions are available, their limited supply has caused their prices to also increase by Tk 10 per kg, now selling for around Tk 90 per kg compared to the recent Tk 70–80.

A Karwan Bazar trader explained that the high price of old onions has driven buyers to the 'murikata' variety, but its limited supply at this early stage has subsequently driven its price higher as well. Shoppers are voicing extreme frustration over the arbitrary and rapid inflation, questioning the logic of a Tk 50 surge in two days.

Consumers and experts alike are urging the government for strict market monitoring, warning that without oversight, "traders are running the market however they want," and the situation will become more volatile, leaving consumers to suffer.