Supply adequate but customers a few
Sellers had an adequate supply of fish, meat, vegetables, egg, spices, rice, lentil, edible oil, etc
Arrays of vegetables were kept in shops at Rampura kitchen market and vendors were talking to one another with hardly any customer available in front. They passed most of their time gossiping due to low turnout amid novel coronavirus fears.
While visiting other markets nearby, this correspondent found the supply of goods was normal but there were a few customers too.
At the Wapda road beside Rampura Market, all the roadside shops were closed. There were a very few kitchen vendors with vans waiting for customers.
A customer at DIT Project road said he went to buy eggs. As he found all the shops on Road 10 closed he bought eggs from a shop in front of the Buddha Mandir. He said he bought other daily items from the shop.
The sellers said they had an adequate supply of fish, meat, vegetables, egg, spices, rice, lentil, edible oil, etc. Although the markets of daily essentials were volatile a week ago the price did not hike.
At different markets in Merul Badda DIT Project, Gudaraghat, Dilu Road, and Karwan Bazar, cauliflower and cabbage were sold at Tk30, bean at Tk35-50, brinjal at Tk40-50, green guava at Tk30-35, potato at Tk25, local onion at Tk45-50.
Besides, imported masoor daal was sold at Tk70-75 whereas the local one at Tk110-115. The price of bottle gourd has dropped a little and a medium-size one was sold at Tk40-50.
"We have no shortage of vegetables but people are not coming out of their home. That is why our sale is not good," said Sujan Mia, a kitchen vendor at Dilu Road.
Mostofa Kamal, a businessman at Karwan Bazar, said, "More than half of the people have left Dhaka. As the demand dropped we bring fewer goods. However, the amount we have is more than the demand and there is no chance of a shortage."
Due to fewer numbers of customers, the price of broiler chicken has declined to Tk120 from Tk125-130 and Pakistani cock chicken price has dropped by Tk22-25 to Tk210-220.