KATHMANDU, Dec 4: The price of onion has skyrocketed in the last few weeks, reaching up to Rs 250 per kilo, compared to a normal price range of 50-60 rupees. Nepalis are going on social media to make fun of the wild price spike. People are resorting to funny memes and Tweets to show how they feel.
Pramod Regmi (@iresearch) tweets, “I was explaining to my friend in Nepal around Saunder’s research onion as a useful tool to understand research stages. He then said can we use cabbage instead as onion is too expensive these days”.
Onion being sold at Rs 300 per kilo in Jumla
The record price high of onion has become the talk of the town and people have stopped using this vegetable in their kitchen. Recently, thieves in India stole a truck loaded with 40 tons of onion.
Manish Thapa (@Manish Thapa_MT) tweets that the price of onion has hit a record high of Rs 230 per kilogram. The way things are moving, banks will start giving onion purchase loans at low interest. Another Twitter user Madhav Neupane (@123himadhav) tweeted, “1 kg of onion equals to how many bank shares in Nepal ?”
Some people are posting recipes on social media that do not need onion, and people have started adopting these alternatives. Samita Kapali (@mysteriousmisa) says, “About 90% of onions and potatoes are imported in Nepal. Let’s think about becoming potato independent and onion independent.”
The memes being circulated on social media even have different rates for onion: to touch it, to see it, smell it, stare at it, ask its price, and even the rate for griping about it. People on social media are urging people to eat chicken instead. Chicken is now comparatively cheaper.
The price of onion took a great leap forward soon after Tihar when India banned its export. Only 2% of Nepal’s onion supply is produced in the country. The rest is imported from India and China.
