B Mirror Report : Prices of essential food items, including fish, poultry and vegetables, remained high in the capital’s retail markets on Friday, offering little relief to consumers despite no major week-on-week changes.

A visit to Uttara Samabaya Market found broiler chicken selling at Tk160-165 per kg, Sonali chicken at Tk300, layer chicken at Tk340-350, and local chicken at Tk600-650 per kg.

Enamul Hasan, a private-sector employee, said rising food prices have made it increasingly difficult for middle-income families to stay within their monthly budgets, forcing many to cut back on purchases of fish and meat.

Beef prices remained relatively stable at Tk750-800 per kg, while mutton and goat meat were selling for Tk1,000-1,200 per kg.

Fish prices also stayed elevated, with hilsa selling between Tk1,500 and Tk2,700 per kg depending on size. Pangas was priced at Tk200 per kg, while rohu and katla were selling between Tk250 and Tk350 per kg. Other popular varieties, including pabda, freshwater prawns and shing fish, also remained expensive.

Vegetable prices showed little sign of easing, with most varieties selling above Tk50 per kg. Okra, pointed gourd, ridge gourd, bitter gourd and snake gourd were priced at Tk60-80 per kg, while yardlong beans sold for Tk70-80 per kg. Carrots were selling at Tk100-120 per kg and beans at Tk130 per kg.

According to the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), prices of coarse rice, loose soybean oil, imported garlic, turmeric, ginger, broiler chicken, eggplant, potatoes, local onions, local garlic, green chilies and cucumbers increased over the past week, while prices of most other essential commodities remained unchanged.