According to Nepal Retailers´ Association, price of commodities like lentils, rice, sugar, refined flour and flour has skyrocketed in the market over the period. Ram Krishna Manandhar, vice president of the association, said the price of commodities skyrocketed after the indefinite nation-wide strike launched by UCPN (Maoist) in the first week of May. [break]
“Disruption in supply of essential commodity such as rice as per the Indian government decision also led to price rise,” he said, adding, “In the span of just 20 days, Sona rice imported from India increased by Rs 200 per bag. Local Sona rice also increased by Rs 50 per bag (30 kg).”
Price of Sona rice, one of the most popular rice varieties in the market, increased by 43 percent to Rs 40 per kg over the period.
Price of popular lentils has increased by as much as 70 percent. According to the association, Mas Dal, which was priced Rs 80 per kg last year, is selling for Rs 120 per kg. Rahar Dal also became dearer by 48 percent to Rs 120 per kg, from Rs 72 per kg recorded last year.
Similarly, Mung Khosta is selling for Rs 150 per kg in the second week of July, up from Rs 88 per kg recorded last year. Though price of popular lentil varieties saw heavy price rise, price of pea increased nominally by Rs 3 per kg to Rs 45 per kg over the period.
Prices of flour and refined flour have increased by as much as 45 percent, while edible oil varieties like mustard, soybean and sunflower became dearer by as much as 23 percent. “Price of refined flour and flour increased by Rs 250 and Rs 200 to Rs 1,500 and Rs 1,600 respectively for a 50 kg bag in just one week,” Manandhar said.
Price of sugar remarkably increased in the domestic market over the period mainly due to low domestic demand and restriction on exports by the Indian government.
Sugar became dearer by more than 32 percent. Sugar, which was selling for Rs 53 per kg last year, increased to as much as Rs 90 per kg, before dropping to Rs 70 per kg in the second week of July.
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