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A market watch, a price assessment report, jointly produced by the UN World Food Program (WFP), the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Consumers Interest Protection Forum stated that Mugu district is the hardest hit by increase in the prices of essential commodities.
The report said price of rice and beans shot up by 30 and 50 percent respectively between May and June in Mugu district. Similarly, the price of cooking oil also rose by five percent in the district. Reduced food stock in the district and insufficient external supply has resulted in the skyrocketing price of essential commodities, the report says.
“Due to a poor winter crop harvest, the price of potato continues to increase across much of the country, on an average up by 10 percent compared to May and up by over 58 percent compared to last year, added the report. However, the market prices have significantly decreased compared to last year in Jumla due to increased supply. Prices of lentils and wheat flour decreased by 11 percent and 21 percent respectively compared to last year whereas coarse rice became cheaper by 40 percent.
According to the report, winter drought has resulted in a worse than usual supply situation this year especially in the remote hill and mountain districts. “For instance, wheat grain stocks have decreased in 75 percent of hill markets, and were completely depleted in 40 percent of the mountain markets covered by the study,” the report added.
Ongoing monsoon rains are also expected to cause transportation problems over the coming months, which will further reduce food supplies in markets in remote areas, stated the report.
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