A file photo shows a butcher processing beef at his shop in a kitchen market in Dhaka. The prices of beef and mutton shot up abnormally on different retail markets in the city this past week ending Friday. — New Age photo

The prices of beef and mutton shot up abnormally on different retail markets in the city this past week ending Friday. Garlic and ginger prices also increased sharply over the week.
Beef and mutton prices increased by Tk 30 a kg and Tk 50 to Tk 100 a kg respectively over the week.
Beef and mutton were retailing at Tk 300 a kg and Tk 450 to Tk 500 a kg on Friday, while the commodities were selling at Tk 270 a kg and Tk 400 a kg respectively in the previous week.
Retailers said that the prices have increased as the demand for meat went high on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat which fell on Thursday night last week.
‘Since the traders decreased supply of cattle and goats to the markets ahead of Ramadan with a view to making greater profits, a supply dearth has occurred in the markets that pushed the prices up,’ said, Muhammed Hashem, a meat seller at Plassey Bazar.
Consumers, however, blamed retailers for price spiral as they (retailers) raised the prices at their will.
‘Retailers hike the prices at their will as if nobody was in the country to control them,’ said Golam Kibria, a teacher at Lalbagh in the city.
Tomato and green chilli prices also shot up last week on the end of their cultivation season and due to flooding in different parts of the country.
The prices of red lentil, chickpea and grass pea marked fresh rise over the week, said retailers.
Prices of broilers chicken, salt and eggs, however, were stable in the retail markets over last week.
The prices of some vegetables like aubergine, okra and snake gourd marked decrease compared to previous week.
Garlic and ginger prices increased by Tk 20 and Tk 10 a kg to Tk 110 and Tk 70 a kg respectively on Friday.
The commodities were retailing at Tk 90 a kg and Tk 60 a kg respectively one week before.
The prices of green chilli and tomato shot up by Tk 20 a kg and Tk 10 a kg respectively.
Green chilli and tomato were retailing at Tk 100 a kg and Tk 90 a kg respectively on Friday.
The prices of red lentil, chickpea and grass pea increased by Tk 5 a kg, Tk 5 a kg and Tk 8 a kg respectively in last one week.
Red lentil, chickpea and grass pea prices increased to Tk 115 a kg, Tk 100 a kg and Tk 60 a kg from Tk 110 a kg, Tk 95 a kg and Tk 52 a kg respectively over the week.
Aubergine, okra and snake guard were retailing at Tk 25 a kg, Tk 35 a kg and Tk 40 a kg respectively on Friday, while they were sold at Tk 30 a kg, Tk 40 a kg and Tk 50 a kg the previous week.
Rohita and katla fishes were selling at Tk 190 to Tk 290 a kg and pangas and Hilsa were retailing at Tk 120 to Tk 150 a kg and Tk 810 to Tk 910 a kg respectively, depending on their size and quality, on Friday.
Broiler chicken, like the previous week, was retailing at Tk 170 to Tk 180 a kg. The packed salt and eggs were selling at Tk 32 to Tk 35 a kg and at Tk 38 to Tk 40 a hali (four pieces) respectively.