The government has established fixed prices for 29 vital agricultural items, including onion, broiler chicken, mutton, beef, and eggplant, at various levels of the supply chain to counter the recent surge in prices.

In a circular released by the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM) on March 15, authorities were instructed to adhere to the newly set rates for these products.

Under the new regulations, locally produced onions are priced at Tk65.40 per kg at the retail level, a significant reduction from the current market rate of Tk90-100 in urban kitchen markets.

Additionally, the price of Zahidi dates, an essential item for iftar, has been fixed at Tk185.07 per kg. Eggplant prices have been set at Tk49.75 per kg, whereas they have recently soared to Tk100-120 per kg.

The DAM has also established prices for other essential items such as potatoes, green chilies, dry chilies, mung dal, chickpeas, lentils, beans, cauliflower, ginger, and garlic.

The surge in vegetable prices has been attributed to the complex supply chain, with mark-ups occurring at various stages before reaching consumers, particularly evident in markets like Karwan Bazar.

Regarding meat prices, beef is now priced at Tk664.39 per kg, mutton at Tk1003.56 per kg, broiler chicken at Tk175.30 per kg, and sonali chicken at Tk262 per kg. Broiler chicken prices have increased from Tk200 to Tk230 per kg recently.

Fish prices have also been regulated, with farmed pangas fish priced at Tk180.87 per kg and farmed katla fish at Tk353.59 per kg. Eggs are now priced at Tk10.49 per piece.