Pabitra Bajracharya, president of Nepal Retailers Association, said wholesalers that have monopoly in the market have cut imports significantly and this has made dry fruits dearer by almost 50 percent.[break]
“Out of around 25 dry importers, only 10 are currently supplying dry fruits in the market. They had reduced supply prior to Dashain, stating that prices have increased significantly in the international market,” Bajracharya said.
Traders say prices have increased by more than 40 percent as compared to normal days due to low supply amid high demand.
A wholesaler of dry fruits and spices at Makhan Tole said prices of popular dry fruits like cashew nut, cardamom, pistachio, betel nuts and almond among others have increased by around Rs 300 per kg with the onset of the festive season.
Pragya Tuladhar, a wholesaler of dry fruits, said prices started increasing from the very beginning of the festive season. “There has been a huge surge in demand for dry fruits after reports of adulteration in sweets surfaced in media. This is also leading to price rise,” he added. “People are buying dry fruits as an alternative to sweets.”
Price of cashew nut has increased to Rs 1,100 per kg from Rs 980 per kg recorded a month ago. Similarly, the prices of walnut, apricot, raisin, fox nut (makhana) and almond have increased by Rs 100 per kg each to Rs 380, Rs 300, Rs 480, Rs 350 and Rs 640 per kg respectively. Price of dates has also increased to Rs 120 per kg, from Rs 100 per kg recorded a month ago, while the price of clove has rose by Rs 100 per kg, making it Rs 1,200 per kg.
Nepal Retailers´ Association expects the demand for dry fruits to surge by 25 folds this Tihar.
“Import costs have almost doubled over the year. It is natural for the prices to rise,” said Ganga Ram Maharjan, a retailer at Makhan Tole.
Nepal imports dry fruits from countries like India, China, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Brazil, Indonesia and the US.
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