Price of fruits such as apple, banana, pomegranate, mango, watermelon, sweet orange, jackfruit, pear, pineapple has increased in the market by Rs 2 to Rs 30 per kg.[break]
According to Nepal Fruits Association (NFA), a government agency that oversees management of fruits market, the price of most of the fruits has increased because of lack of proper storage during monsoon.
Santa Kumar Panday, senior planning officer at NFA, said decline in supplies of major fruits has led to the rise in prices. In normal season provided that the supply situation is smooth, around 200 metric tons to 300 metric tons of fruits enter the valley daily from neighboring countries and some neighboring districts.
But with the arrival of monsoon, only around 100 metric tons of fruits enter in the valley markets daily.
The major price hike has been seen in pomegranate, watermelon, papaya and apples by Rs 10 to Rs 30 per kg respectively. “As the production of fruits has declined internationally, price of fruits has been continuously increasing,” Panday said. He further added that compared to last couple of weeks, price is increasing because volume of fruits entering in the valley from China and India is declining.
Price of fruits has been continuously increasing in the market as Nepal has to depend on India and China to meet the demand for fruits in the local market. There is no any other reasons behind the increments of the fruits, sources said.
Panday said the ongoing Roja is also one of the reasons behind the increment in the price of fruits because it directly affects the International market.
Sajan Shrestha, a retailer at Koteshwor fruits market, said price of fruits is increasing in the market every day and the sales are plummeting. Shrestha added that his daily turnover has now fallen to Rs 3,000 to 5,000 from Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per day a couple of weeks ago.
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