One of the reasons for the decline in transaction volume is limited opening hours, as the 24-hour market currently operates from 6am to 2pm only because of ongoing renovation works.[break]
“Since the market opens for just nine hours at present, I have not been able to collect all the vegetables supplied by farmers,” Shivaji Parsad, a wholesaler at the market, told Republica. Limited business hour has also prevented him from opening the store during the evening - one of the peak shopping hours.
“As the market remains closed in the evening, all my customers who visit the market in the evening like small vendors, restaurant operators and other bargain hunters - have started purchasing the products from the retail market nearby,” Prasad added.
Besides, there are is no storage facility at the market after fire wreaked havoc at the wholesale market. “Because of these factors, my daily income has dropped down to Rs 6,000 from Rs 12,000 of the past,” added Prasad.
Ram Kumar Poudel, another wholesaler at the market, echoed Prasad and demanded that the authorities concerned to make the market operational round the clock at the earliest. “I request officials of Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board to carry out renovations works at night so that our business is not hampered,” added Poudel.
The market, on normal days, used to receive more than 700 tons of vegetables per day, according to the board. After the fire, the market has been getting only 500 tons a day.
However, the inability of the market to absorb all the supplies does not seem to be affecting farmers as most of them are delivering the products to different vegetable markets located in places like Koteshwar, Baneshwar and Tukucha, among others.
“I cannot tell exactly how long it will take for the market to resume normal business because we need to renovate the entire building,” Binay Shrestha, senior planning officer at the board, told Republica.
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