One person’s reject, lifeline for another

Resumen detallado

Vegetables discarded as unsellable at wholesale markets are being purchased by low-income families at a fraction of the regular price to keep household expenses down.

Vegetables discarded as unsellable at wholesale markets are being purchased by low-income families at a fraction of the regular price to keep household expenses down.

Broken cabbages, cracked bottle gourds, misshapen beans, cut eggplants, partially rotten tomatoes and potatoes with their rotten portions removed are being sold at several low-income neighbourhood markets in the capital, such as Geneva Camp in Mohammadpur and Fokirni Bazar in Nakhalpara, Tejgaon.

At Geneva Camp in Mohammadpur, there are around 30 shops at a vegetable market selling the damaged produce.

Laili Begum, 50, was found grocery shopping at the market for her family of six. She bought one kilogram of cut eggplants for Tk 20, a kg of cut potatoes for Tk 15 and around half a kg of partially spoiled tomatoes for Tk 20. Her total expenditure was Tk 55.

The same quantity of fresh vegetables would have cost her around Tk 125, saving her approximately Tk 70. She used the money saved to buy cooking oil, spices and coarse rice for her family.

For Laili, the appearance of the vegetables is not a major concern amid a cost of living crisis, which is squeezing her authorickshaw driver husband’s earnings of late.

“Most people in this area are financially disadvantaged -- they cannot afford to buy vegetables at regular market prices. That is why these cheaper vegetables are in high demand,” said Jakir Hossain, a shopkeeper at the market.

According to Jakir, several traders have been supporting their families through this business for years.

The 55-year-old Moneja Begum has been supporting herself through this trade for 22 years, ever since her husband died.

Inicio del artículo, extracto de The Daily Star. Para leer el resto, abra el artículo en el sitio del medio.