Online Desk:  Green chilli price has shot up by 40-50 per cent just in the last two days as the hot spice was retailed at Tk 150-180 a kg on Sunday.

The price of the spice remained between Tk 60 and Tk 100 a kg for last four months, but started rising which traders attributed to squeeze in supply recently.

The price of green chilli at Karwanbazar, Shyambazar and Beribadh wholesale markets has increased by Tk 30-35 a kg in the last few days, resulting in such a tectonic rise in its retail price, says Hamidur Rahman Mridha, a vegetable vendor at West Dhanmondi.

He also said per palla (five kg) chilli price increased to Tk 530 on Sunday which was Tk 360 three days back.

He said the trend is same like that of last year.

The price of green chilli witnessed an all-time high last year in the May-July period when it escalated to even Tk 700-800 a kg in different districts.

The government was forced to permit imports of the spice from the neighbouring country.

Joynal Abedin, a Beribadh-Rayerbazar based trader, says the season of winter chilli has ended while it is a transition time.

It would take few weeks to entrance of summer chilli in large amount, he said.

He also says that summer chilli production has witnessed a blow amid the five-week hot weather across the country.

Agribusiness expert Prof Dr Rashidul Hasan said the basin problem with chilli supply is it is mainly grown in the winter season between November and April.

He said the country produces above 0.65 million tonnes of chilli annually of which winter crop covers 0.55 million tonnes.

Mr Hasan said without raising production in summer, the shortage would prevail.

He said farmers should be incentivised across the chilli hubs to increase green chilli production.

Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) organising secretary Prof Dr Md Mizanur Rahman said the experience of chilli market was unbelievable last year as field reports found price surged to above Tk 800 a kg. He has suggested that the government agencies take the matter seriously and initiate precautions to tackle market volatility like last year.