The cost of ginger has increased in Bangladesh as the country faces a shortage of US dollars and a global supply crisis. Bangladesh produces only two-thirds of the country’s annual demand for ginger, with the remaining third imported. Both local and imported varieties of ginger are now being sold for as much as Tk 340 per kilogramme, up from Tk 320 and Tk 240 respectively a week earlier. The price hikes are causing distress among middle and lower-middle-income consumers, who may have to reduce the quality of their meals.
Retailers seeking to profit from the shortage are selling imported ginger for Tk 250 per kg, while local ginger costs Tk 400. The price of imported ginger has risen by 53.85% per kg over the past month and by 185.71% year on year, according to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), while the cost of local ginger has risen by 45.65% per kg over the past month and 179.17% year on year. The shortage of US dollars, which has made sourcing the spice more difficult, is part of the problem, as are supply issues in China, India, and Myanmar, according to traders.
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