The papaya paradox

Price plunge brings relief to consumers but losses to growers

While most vegetables remain expensive in Dhaka’s kitchen markets, green papaya prices have plunged to just Tk 4-10 per kg at the wholesale level, bringing relief to consumers but leaving farmers and traders facing heavy losses.

The sharp fall, driven by increased cultivation and a bumper harvest, has persisted for the past week.

Visits to Mirpur-1, Ibrahimur Market in Mirpur-14, Shewrapara, Kazipara and Karwan Bazar yesterday found that most vegetables were selling for Tk 50-100 per kg, while beans, tomatoes and carrots cost Tk 150-220 per kg.

Green papaya, which sold for as much as Tk 80-100 per kg around the same time last year, has become one of the cheapest vegetables.

Traders said many had advanced substantial sums to farmers in several districts, expecting another profitable season. However, increased production has led to an oversupply, pushing prices down sharply.

Sher Ali Pathan, a papaya wholesaler at Karwan Bazar for 47 years, said he advanced Tk 3 crore to farmers in five districts after prices remained high last year.

“I sold papaya at Tk 6-7 per kg over the past few days. Last Monday, the price fell to Tk 4. Yet, the transportation cost alone for bringing papaya to Dhaka from Chuadanga and Jashore exceeds Tk 4 per kg,” he said.

“After advancing Tk 3 crore, I doubt whether I will be able to recover even Tk 50 lakh. I do not know how I will repay my bank loans and interest,” he added.

Rafiqul Islam, who brought three tonnes of papaya from Singair in Manikganj to Karwan Bazar, said cultivation costs, including land rent, seeds and fertilisers, amounted to Tk 10-12 per kg.

Transportation and labour added another Tk 3, taking the total cost to Tk 13-15 per kg.

“I had to sell the papaya for Tk 6-8 per kg, incurring a loss of more than half the cost for every kilogramme,” he said.

Dr Md Hazrat Ali, director of the Horticulture Wing at the Department of Agricultural Extension, said both cultivation and production had increased this year.

“The cultivation of imported hybrid papaya varieties has expanded significantly, and production has risen across several districts as more farmers have brought land under papaya cultivation.”

Meanwhile, low-income consumers and roadside eateries are benefiting from the price slump.

Amir Hossain, who runs a makeshift restaurant in Shewrapara, said rising LPG prices had increased cooking costs. He previously used pointed gourd, yard-long beans and hyacinth beans to prepare vegetable dishes.

To cut costs, he now makes a stir-fry with green papaya and potatoes, selling each portion for Tk 20.

“Earlier, I needed five kilogrammes of papaya a day. Now I buy 20 kilogrammes,” he said.

Rahima Begum, who supplies meals to a mess accommodating 30 people in Pashcim Rajabazar, said prices of fish, meat, oil and lentils had increased.

“Only papaya, bottle gourd and potatoes are relatively cheap in the market. So, I have increased the use of papaya in our daily meals,” she said.

Mosharaf Hossain, who has been selling vegetables at Karwan Bazar for 45 years, said he had never seen papaya prices fall so sharply.