Fish supply down, vegetable prices stable

Water levels across Bangladesh tend to dip between the end of the summer and the arrival of winter.

The impact on natural reservoirs and the slight fall in farmed fish supply is now becoming apparent in Dhaka's markets.

A visit to four markets on Friday showed that almost all the fish arriving at shops had been sold by midday. However, there has yet to be a significant change in prices.

Abdur Razzak, a seller at Motijheel T&T Colony market, told bdnews24.com: "The price of fish is still the same as before. There has not been much fluctuation in these prices in a year. Everyone buys fish at a reasonable price. There are always differences of Tk 20-30.”

Stating that a 5kg catfish was selling for Tk 500 per kg in the market, he said: “We are selling catfish weighing less than 5kg for Tk 380-400 per kg.”

Trader Abdul Latif says 5kg catfish is selling at the same price in Dhaka’s Mohakhali kitchen market.

All the fish at the Segunbagicha kitchen market was sold by 11:30am.

Abul Hossain, a trader at the market, said: “All the fish I brought have been sold. Fish is no longer available at any shop in the market. The prices are the same. There are typically more sales on Friday. Everyone buys more and keeps it in their refrigerators.”

Most workers use the weekend to do their shopping for the rest of the week. Abul Hossain believes that temporary shops in front of parks and fields in Dhaka are also responsible for the fish selling out so quickly.

Dhaka has seen a surge in sales of fish from temporary stalls that set up on the side of the road near parks and fields in the mornings for customers to browse after their morning walks.

Though the prices are relatively high at these stalls, the vendors sell fresh fish at a convenient time and place for certain city residents. Passersby buy fish on their way home after morning exercises. More of these customers turn up on the weekend.

Because of these stalls, fewer people are coming to fresh markets to buy fish, Abul Hossain said.

“The price of fish is not high now. It has been the same price for a long time."

However, prices of certain fish varied between markets.

While punti (pool barb) fish was selling for Tk 350 per kg in Segunbagicha, it was selling for Tk 300 in Rayerbagh market.

In Motijheel, Ruhi was selling for Tk 320 to Tk 340 per kg, large farmed tilapia for Tk 250 and relatively medium-sized tilapia at Tk 130 per kg.

At the Mohakhali Raw Market, Mola (carplet) fish was selling for Tk 400 per kg and Kachki (Corica) fish at Tk 370 per kg.

Nazmul Hossain, who came to buy fish at this market, said: "My grandson is adamant about having shrimp. That's why I bought shrimp for Tk 770 per kg."

Medium-sized shrimp was selling well at the Mohakhali market on Friday, said trader Abdul Latif.

Pangas (Pangas catfish) were selling for Tk 160 to 250 per kg, farmed Koi (climbing perch) at Tk 200 and Pabda (butter catfish) at Tk 350 to 400.

Broiler chicken prices were also steady at the Rayerbagh and Segunbagicha markets, going for Tk 180 to 185 per kg.

Sonali chicken was selling for Tk 340 per kg in these two markets, a hike of Tk 10. Beef was selling for Tk 780 to 800 per kg in all four markets, the same as last week.

The price of eggs has decreased by Tk 5 per dozen, selling for Tk 135. A set of four was selling for Tk 50 at retail markets.

The market prices of vegetables are stable due to the increased supply of early winter varieties. Some vegetable prices have even eased by Tk 10-20 compared with the previous week.

The biggest price drops have been observed for beans, Lau (bottle gourds) and cauliflower. Although they are winter vegetables, the prices of early bean varieties are relatively low this year.

In November 2025, the price of beans was Tk 100 to 120 per kg. At the beginning of the season that year, beans were priced at Tk 200 per kg.

This year, the price of beans started at Tk 80-100 per kg at the beginning of the season, and within two weeks, the price dropped to Tk 40 to 60 per kg on Friday.

Another winter vegetable, medium-sized cauliflower, is selling for Tk 40 to 50 each in the Segunbagicha Fresh Market. In this market, Chichinga (snake gourd) is selling for Tk 50 per kg and Lau (bottle gourd) for Tk 50 to 60 per piece.

In Motijheel, long brinjal was selling for Tk 50 per kg, while round brinjal was selling for Tk 60 per kg.

Papaya is selling for Tk 20 per kg, radish for Tk 40, and cabbage for Tk 50 per kg, okra for Tk 40, Dundul (sponge gourd) for Tk 50, Corolla (bitter gourd) for Tk 70, and green beans for Tk 60.

Worker Maryam Akhter told bdnews24.com, “Around this time of year, it feels good to buy some cauliflower. There are plenty of vegetables in the market. The prices are right. It seems they have not increased this time.”

Having bought a cauliflower for Tk 40 after haggling, she said: “The price of oil and gas is increasing. I thought vegetable prices would go up too. This is a bit of a relief.”

While chillies were selling for Tk 80 per kg in the Mohakhali Fresh Market, the price was Tk 60 in the Rayerbagh market.

While hybrid cucumbers, often used for salads, were selling for Tk 50 per kg, local varieties of cucumber were selling for Tk 60 per kg in the Segunbagicha market. Limes are selling for Tk 10 per piece.