Compared to price recorded three weeks ago, price of split black gram has increased by Rs 20 per kg to Rs 200. Similarly, price of gram has gone up by Rs 25 per kg to Rs 100 and lentil by Rs 10 per kg to Rs 165. Likewise, price of beaten rice has also increased by Rs 5 per kg to Rs 55. Price of edible oil has also increased by Rs 5 per liter.Local traders of Pokhara have said that ongoing protest and strikes in different parts of Tarai districts have affected supply of essential foods, resulting to price rise. They said Pokhara will see shortage of food commodities if the situation remained the same for some more days."
"Price of some food commodities has increased in recent days due to disturbance in supp"y," Moti Bhujel, proprietor of Munal Store at Chipledhunga, said, addin", "Majority of food commodities come from Tarai districts. But supply has been affected for the past three weeks.
Bhujel also said rise in transportation cost due to series of strikes in Tarai district has also made food commodities deare". "Transportation cost charged by trucks carrying 17 tons of foods from Pokhara to Birgunj has increased to Rs 30,000 from Rs 20,000. Similarly, trucking charge from Butwal to Pokhara has increased by Rs 4,000 to Rs 24,"00" he said, addin", "With such a hefty rise in transportation cost, it is natural for the price to go "p."
Food commodities come to Pokhara through Birgunj, Bhairahawa and Krishnanagar entry points. Supply from all these points has been affected for the past few weeks.
Similarly, another trader Sanjeev Kumar Koirala said price of different varieties of rise has increased by up to Rs 8 per k". "We have to pay high transportation cost due to strikes in different Tarai distric"s," Koirala said, explaining reasons behind price hike.
Devi Chhetri, first vice-president of Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said ongoing strikes and protests have created fear among consumers that daily essentials will be in short suppl". "We, however, are prepared to control arbitrary price hike in food commodities and other black-marketing activiti"s," he added.
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