KATHMANDU, Feb 17: The price of vegetables has moderated over the past month mainly due to improved supplies of seasonal vegetables.

According to Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board, prices of most of the popular vegetables have gone down in the wholesale market. 

While the price of dry onion fell to Rs 100 per kg on Sunday from Rs 150 per kg a month ago, tomato and spinach leaf are selling cheaper at Rs 80 and Rs 50 per kg compared to Rs 110 and Rs 110 per kg, respectively, recorded a month ago. The price of local cauliflower has also dropped to Rs 60 per kg compared to last month's Rs 90 per kg.

Binaya Shrestha, deputy director of Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board, attributed the drop in vegetable prices to improvement in supply of seasonal vegetables. "We have seen a healthy growth in supplies of seasonal vegetables. Also, price of imported vegetables have fallen, bringing vegetable prices down in the local market," added Baniya.

According to the board, the market is receiving 800 to 830 tons of vegetables on a daily basis.

"Going by the trend of past years, the price should have gone down from mid-December itself. But it got delayed this year as heavy rainfall affected production of vegetables this year," he added.

The market had witnessed heavy rise in the price of vegetables during September-November last year when major festivals like Dashain, Tihar and Chhath are celebrated.

"As most of our vegetables demand is met through imports, vegetable prices fluctuate as per the price movement in the source market," Shrestha said, adding: "Onion price, for example, skyrocketed in the domestic market after the Indian government put a ban on onion experts. We are facing similar situation in garlic now."

Shrestha further added that vegetable prices will continue to fluctuate until local production becomes sufficient to meet domestic demand.

 
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