Pragya Tuladhar, a wholesaler of dry fruits and spices at Makhan Tole, said prices of dry fruits such as cashew nut, walnut, raisin, pistachio, date, almond and betel nut, among others have seen a significant rise in price with the onset of the festive season.[break]
According to Tuladhar, price of cashew nut has increased to Rs 1,100 per kg from Rs 980 per kg a month ago.
Similarly, the price of walnut, apricot, raisin and almond has increased Rs 50 per kg each and touched Rs 280, Rs 300, Rs 350 and Rs 640 per kg respectively.
The price of dates has gone up by Rs 20 per kg, making it Rs 100 per kg. Likewise, betel nut is selling as high as Rs 2,400 per kg up from Rs 1,500 per kg recorded one month ago due to its high demand in the market.
According to traders, dry fruits have become dearer in the domestic market mainly due to increasing import costs, irregular supplies, followed by a surge in demand.
“The price of dry fruits has increased in the beginning of festive season with increase in demand and low supply,” said Sujit Staphit of Staphit Store. Staphit added that the dry fruits will become even more expensive by the time Tihar comes as the price is showing an increasing trend due to short supply from India and China.
According to Staphit, betel nuts are mostly imported from India and China but due to increase in customs duty traders have not imported enough to fulfill the increased demand.
Most of the popular dry fruits are imported from India, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran and Guatemala and California of United States due to limited domestic production.
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