Broiler chicken and egg, the two key protein sources for the common people, became costlier last week increasing their sufferings further.
Prices of onion, one of the main cooking indredients, remained static at retail markets maintaining its previous high.
Broiler chicken was selling at Tk 150-155 and layer at Tk 175-185 per kilogramme (kg) on Thursday, Tk 10-15 hike in one week.
Sonali chicken (known as Pakistani) was sold at Tk 270-290 a kg at kitchen markets in the capital on the day - a Tk 10-15 hike in the last seven days.
Indigenous chicken price remained static at its previous high of Tk 470-550 a kg.
However, the state-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) recorded 8.5-10 per cent hike in prices of chicken in the week.
Prices of farm egg also marked an increase in the city markets. Prices of the protein item rose by Tk 4.0 per dozen in the week and it was retailed at Tk 114-116 a dozen yesterday from Tk 110- 112 earlier.
Ashraf Ali, a vendor at Katasur, Mohammadpur in the city told the FE that prices of farm chicken and egg have increased due to shortage of supply.
He also said that production has declined in some key growing hubs as many of farm owners shut their huts amid diseases and rising prices of poultry feed.
Ashraf bought broiler chicken at Tk 145 a kg from a poultry farm at Baliarpur in Savar which was Tk 133 a kg seven days back.
Helal Bhuiyan, an egg and chicken vendor at Dhanmondi Road No. 15, said prices of egg have been increasing for the last two weeks.
"We bought egg at Tk 108 a dozen from the agents which was Tk 102-104 a week back and Tk 95-96 two weeks back," he mentioned.
The TCB found 20 per cent hike in farm egg prices in the last two weeks.
Secretary of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan said broiler chicken and farm egg are two key protein items commoners in the city, especially the low-income group, apart from cultured fish.
Price hike of such items directly hurts the limited-income people, he viewed.
He said apart from chicken and egg, prices of vegetables and some key spices also increased notably raising owes of the fixed-income groups further.
Visiting some city retail markets on Thursday, this correspondent found onion prices remained static at the retail and was selling at Tk 70- 75 (imported) and Tk 80- 90 a kg (local).
The wholesale market of onion, however, witnessed a mixed trend.
The prices of both local and imported onion showed a Tk 4.0-5.0 decline on Tuesday last. But, according to traders, onion again reached its previous high yersterday.
Local onion was sold at Tk 64-66 and imported one at Tk 58- 60 a kg on the day at wholesale markets, said Narayan Chandra Saha, a Shyambazar based trader.
