DHAKA: The nationwide indefinite road-rail-waterway blockade and frequently called hartal has resulted fewer transactions at the kitchen markets in the capital Dhaka due to shortage of vegetables supply.

During the winter season, these markets used to be remained full of fresh vegetables, hundreds of vendors, wholesalers, buyers and sellers all the night.

But, the scenarios are totally different this year. Fewer transactions are taking place as vegetables traders are facing problems to supply of vegetables to the city from different places across the country.

Despite blockade and shutdown, some traders dared to take risk of facing losses and they are doing business. Low supply of vegetables are causing prices hike day by day. None of the vendors, wholesalers and laborers is not at ease situation at all.

Banglanews team made a visit to Jatrabari kitchen market - one of the city’s biggest markets for vegetable trading at around 11:00pm Saturday. But, this time scenarios were different there. It was hard to understand that the market is one of the biggest green markets of the capital.

Having entered the market, a vegetable trader, who sells potato and cauliflower, was worryingly seen standing beside his goods.

The trader Monir Hossein told banglanews that transport fare has been increased by double-fold; they bring vegetables to the markets, taking risks and sell those in loss.

On Friday, a cauliflower-laden truck left Bogra for Dhaka, which was scheduled to arrive in the city on Saturday, said Monir adding’ two thousand pieces of cauliflowers perished as the vehicle arrived a day late.

However, vegetable vendors face relatively less loss. Vendor Alamin, who comes from Gouripur, told banglanews that it is not true that they earn profit everyday because sometimes weight of vegetables decreases.

If they don’t make profit what they will eat, people who call blockade-shutdown do not provide foods to them either, added the vendor.

The wholesale trader claimed that they are incurring more loss as vegetable supply has gone down to the half comparing to the normal supply.

Wholesaler Abdur Rouf, who owns ‘Mayer Doa Banijjalay’ that stores fresh vegetables, told banglanews that the number of goods-leaden vehicles has been decreased by half.

He did not experience such bad time in last 20 years of his business, added the trader.

Wholesaler Abdur Rahman brought 1,025 pieces of cabbages and 1,275 pieces of cauliflowers from Manikganj.

The trader planed to sell his vegetables with a price of Tk 5 to Tk 8 per cabbage and Tk 8 to Tk 10 per cauliflower. As the number of wholesale traders was few, Rahman was forced to sell those in lower price.

Vegetable price goes moderate when more wholesalers come to the market whereas the price decreases when fewer wholesalers come there, according to Rahman.

Several byapari - who bring goods directly from the farmers and sell to wholesalers - including Rashid, Abdul Jalil, and Suruj Mian told banglanews that tomatoes are being sold with a price of Tk 120 to Tk 130 per balance weighing five kilograms.

At the market, different prices for same vegetable were found, which were separately provided by the byapari and the wholesalers. However, all of them agreed that the number of wholesale traders have been decreased due to blockade and shutdown.

Visiting the market, Banglanews team brought the wholesale price of different types of vegetables. Price of red potato varied from Tk 7 to Tk 10, and diamond potato from Tk 8 to Tk 12 whereas price of bean was from Tk 16 to Tk 20, carrot from Tk 10 to Tk 13.

Price of turnip was Tk 20, cucumber was Tk 20 while brinjal was being sold at from Tk 18 to Tk 22, and green chilies from Tk 20 to Tk 25.

In addition, laborers, who live hand to mouth, have become most vulnerable as their daily earnings come down to half these days due to blockade and hartals.

Laborer Shahinur Rahman told banglanews that they work whole night, earn money and spend it to buy daily essentials. If they do not have works how they will buy goods and commodities, questioned the laborer.

Approximately a thousand laborers work at market and all of their earnings have fallen below their regular income, Shahinur informed.

BDST: 1152 HRS, FEB 08, 2015