Dhaka's kitchen markets are now a visual feast, overflowing with vibrant greens and colourful produce of a winter harvest. To the casual observer, the sheer volume of supply would suggest a season of relief for the city's beleaguered consumers. However, the reality on the ground is starkly different. The seasonal abundance is proving to be of no benefit to the average buyers as the prices of winter vegetables have reportedly gone up compared to the past few weeks. For instance, a kilogram of good-quality brinjal that previously sold for Tk60-70 is now priced at Tk80-100, while beans have climbed to Tk70-80 per kg from Tk50-70. Similarly, prices of almost all winter vegetables are on the upward trajectory.
Even more distressing is the widening gap between what growers receive and what consumers are forced to pay in the markets. For example, while a kilo of brinjal sells for Tk80-100 in city markets, growers reportedly receive barely Tk20 per kg. A recent report by The Financial Express lays bare how a convoluted supply chain facilitates this blatant price gouging. As the report informs, a typical agricultural produce changes hands five to six times before reaching the consumer's table. It involves farias (small brokers), aratdars (hoarders), beparis (transporters), urban wholesellers and finally retailers. Intermediaries at each stage of the supply chain drive up prices, while farmers struggle to get a fair return and consumers are forced to pay exorbitant rates.
It is, therefore, evident that the main crisis in the country's agricultural economy is not production, but market management. It is worth mentioning that the intermediaries who dominate the supply chain add little or no value to agricultural produce. They merely hoard or transport them from one place to another and, in the process, make undue profits-often through manipulation and syndication. Reducing the number of unnecessary intermediaries has long been discussed, but the authorities have so far failed to implement a lasting solution to this chronic problem.
Against this backdrop, the "farm-to-table" or direct marketing model deserves consideration. Under such a system, farmers sell directly to consumers through farmers' markets, cooperatives, contract arrangements or digital platforms. Estimates suggest that by implementing direct marketing model farmers' incomes can be increased by 30-40 per cent, while it will also cut consumer costs by 15-20 per cent. To this end, dedicated farmers' markets can be introduced in divisional cities at fixed locations and on designated days, reserved exclusively for small and marginal farmers. A few farmers market already exist in parts of Dhaka such as Meradia, Purbachal and the Beribandh areas, where farmers from the city's outskirts sell produce directly. These initiatives, however, remain scattered and informal. They need to be expanded under clear policy frameworks. The role of the government is paramount here. Direct marketing cannot develop through market forces alone as farmers are at the weakest end of the supply chain. It demands policy support and infrastructure development. The authorities can popularise farmers' markets by earmarking specific urban spaces for growers, subsidising transport and storage facilities. It would go a long way towards curbing the dominance of middlemen and easing inflationary pressures.
