Hilsa prices saw a significant decline in Dhaka’s kitchen markets on Friday, offering some relief to consumers, but the cost of essential items like vegetables, onions, eggs, and chicken continued to rise, exacerbating food inflation concerns. Smaller hilsa, previously selling at Tk 800–900 per kg, dropped to Tk 650–700, while medium-sized hilsa fell from Tk 1,800–2,000 to Tk 1,400–1,600 per kg. Larger hilsa (1 kg or above) now sell at Tk 2,000–2,300, down from Tk 2,400–2,600 earlier this week.
However, prices of other fish remained steady, with rui and katla at Tk 380–450 per kg, shing and magur at Tk 450–500, and tilapia at Tk 180–250. Beef prices eased slightly to Tk 750–780 per kg, but mutton held firm at Tk 1,100–1,200. Meanwhile, broiler chicken rose to Tk 170–180 per kg, up by Tk 10–15 from last week, and Sonali chicken surged to Tk 320–330 per kg.
Egg prices also climbed, with a dozen brown eggs now retailing at Tk 135–140. Vegetables saw sharp increases, with green chillies selling for up to Tk 200 per kg in some areas, while onions jumped to Tk 70–80 per kg. Traders attributed the hikes to supply disruptions caused by recent rains.
Official data shows food inflation rose to 7.56% in July, up from 7.39% in June, underscoring the growing strain on household budgets. Consumers expressed frustration as essential commodity prices showed no signs of stabilizing.