“Local wholesalers have increased prices of many commodities citing rise in their prices in India. Following this, we have also raised prices of many essential food commodities,” said Pabitra Bajracharya, president of the Nepal Retailers´ Association (NRA). [break]
According to the association, prices of different varieties of rice, beaten rice, edible oil, legumes, pulses and flour have gone up within a period of one month. However, sugar price has remained the same.
Data obtained by Republica show that prices of different varieties of rice like Pokhareli, Steam Jeera Masino, Indian Basmati and Sona Basmati have increased by Rs 1 to Rs 10 per kg. Similarly, prices of different types of flour have gone up by Rs 4 to Rs 5 per kg.
“Among other commodities, flour has become expensive by Rs 2 to Rs 3 per kg,” said Bajracharya.
Prices of different types of edible oil have also gone up by Rs 3 to Rs 20 per liter. Similarly, legumes have become dearer by Rs 5 to Rs 10 per kg, pulses by Rs 4 to Rs 13 per kg and beaten rice by Rs 5 per kg within a month.
Though wholesalers said price hike in Nepal is the domino effect of increment in prices of various food commodities in India, retailers said inability of the government to monitor actions of intermediaries has also made food products dearer in the domestic market.
It is said unethical practices like carteling and black marketeering conducted by intermediaries are leading to artificial price hike of essential commodities. And this has started creating holes in pockets of middle- and low-income groups.
According to Damodar Jajju, a retailer at Tinkune, prices of essential commodities go up in regular interval also due to hike in transportation costs. Another reason is reduction in smuggling of food commodities from southern neighbor since last one year following increased surveillance by the Indian government.
According to the association, almost 70 percent of the country´s food demand is met through imports. “Due to this, customers have to suffer even if prices go up slightly in the international market,” said Bajracharya.
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