Surging Retail Prices Spark Consumer Concern as Chittagong Lychee Markets Remain Costly Despite High Supply
Photo Collected
Surging prices in Chittagong’s retail markets have transformed seasonal fruit consumption into a luxury, leaving many consumers questioning the affordability of litchis even during the height of the harvest season. While the city’s markets are overflowing with shipments from major production hubs like Dinajpur, Rajshahi, and Ishwardi, shoppers report that prices have nearly doubled since the recent Eid-ul-Adha holiday, with some vendors charging as much as 900 taka for 100 pieces.
The discrepancy between wholesale availability and retail pricing has become a point of contention for both consumers and traders. At the Station Road fruit wholesale hub, trucks arrive daily laden with crates of the fruit, feeding a robust auction system that supplies vendors across the city’s major retail centers, including Chowkbazar and Bahaddarhat. Despite the consistent supply, retail prices remain stubborn, forcing middle-class buyers like Mohammad Jamal Uddin to reconsider their purchases.
Wholesale traders attribute the high market rates to rising costs at the garden level and increased transportation expenses. Mohammad Mithu, a wholesale fruit merchant, noted that while supply is abundant, the acquisition cost per crate has climbed, preventing a decline in retail prices. Others, such as Mohammad Sumon of Sayem & Saifa Enterprise, maintain that wholesale margins are modest, suggesting that the markup occurs primarily as the product moves through the retail chain.
The Chittagong Fruit Traders Association maintains that wholesale pricing remains within reasonable bounds. Mohammad Ali Hossain, president of the association, suggested that while prices may appear inflated, much of the increase is driven by individual retailers seeking higher profit margins. Conversely, street-level vendors argue that the cost of procurement has risen steadily since the Eid period. Retailers like Mohammad Nazim Uddin report that their own purchase costs have increased by over one taka per fruit, leaving little room for them to lower prices for consumers without sustaining losses.
As the litchi season is notoriously brief—typically peaking between late May and mid-June—traders expect the high demand to persist until the supply tapers off in the coming weeks. For now, the combination of high logistical costs and sustained seasonal demand keeps the fruit firmly in the premium category, with high-quality, large-sized litchis fetching as much as nine taka per piece at some retail stalls.
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