Citing decline in supply, poultry entrepreneurs raised price of chicken third time in two weeks to Rs 250 per kg from Rs 228 in the retail market.
Junga Bahadur BC, general secretary of Chicken Sellers´ Association, said a joint meeting of chicken sellers, feed producers, feed dealers and poultry farmers held on Monday had decided to raise price of dressed chicken by Rs 8 and live chicken by Rs 5.
With this increment, the price per kg of live chicken has risen to Rs 175.
“We are compelled to raise the price, as supplies of chicken from Chitwan -- the major poultry producing district -- has dropped significantly,” BC told myrepublica.com.
Tikaram Pokharel, president of Nepal Poultry Entrepreneurs´ Forum, an umbrella organization of poultry entrepreneurs, admitted that supplies of chicken to the capital from Chitwan had dwindled by almost a third over the past fortnight. Under normal conditions, about 180 quintals of chicken enter the capital from the poultry hub daily. However, prices of vegetable items have eased down, albeit marginally, during the period, much to the relief of the consumers.
According to the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board (KFVMDB), the prices of small tomato and carrot dropped to Rs 40 per kg and 65 per kg from Rs 50 per kg and Rs 85 per kg respectively over the period.
Binaya Shrestha, planning officer at KFVMDB, said the supply of vegetables in the market had gone up due to rise in production following rainfall for the past few days. Shrestha said daily inflow of vegetables, fruits, spices and fishes combined had increased to around 500 tons from 350 tons to 400 tons a few days ago.
Long spell of drought during the past few months had led to the decline in the production of vegetables, leading to sharp rise in the prices of vegetables in the market. “Production of vegetables has increased due to favorable weather conditions. Kathmandu and other surrounding districts are supplying significant quantity of vegetables in the market,” added Shrestha.
Geeta Prasad Acharya, a vegetable wholesaler, said rise in supply due to increase in production, had brought down the prices of major vegetables.
Dhading, Makawanpur, Nuwakot, Kavre and some Tarai districts supply vegetables in the capital´s market during summer.
Prices of red gram and lentil also went down to Rs 125 and Rs 105 per kg from Rs 140 and Rs 110 per kg during the period. However, price of Sona Mansuli, a popular rice variety among poor mass, increased marginally to Rs 32 from Rs 30.
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