Kitchen market prices surge again as watchdogs demand a supply-chain audit

Retail prices for eight essential commodities climbed for a third consecutive week across the capital's kitchen markets, even as wholesale rates recorded by our reporters remained largely unchanged. The widening gap between wholesale and retail has renewed calls for an independent audit of the supply chain.

Multiply News surveyed 12 markets over six days, recording price boards, receipts and vendor interviews. In nine of those markets, the retail markup on onions exceeded 34 percent — more than double the seasonal average of the last three years.

Consumer rights advocates say the pattern points to coordination among mid-tier distributors rather than genuine scarcity. Regulators have opened a preliminary review and say findings will be published within a month.