According to wholesalers, farmers are selling vegetables produced in districts adjoining the Valley to different Tarai districts due to high prices offered there. The arrival of vegetables in the Kalimati market - the largest vegetable markets - in the capital has declined in the last couple of weeks form the normal daily arrival of 500 to 700 tons. [break]
Normally, the price of vegetables in the capital goes up if vegetables produced in the farms adjoining the capital make their way to other cities like Pokhara, Chitwan, Birgunj and Butwal, according to the traders.
“Farmers in districts adjoining the capital are selling their produce to different cities in Tarai and even some Indian cities. This has led to short supply in the market and causing price rise,” Geeta Prasad Acharya, former president of Nepal Vegetables Wholesalers´ Association, told Republica.
He, however, expects the price to come down as demand usually drops during Dashain.
“The festive season is another reason behind price rise. The demands for vegetables like onion, tomato and cauliflower hit peak during the festive season,” said Bharat Khatiwada, president of Nepal Wholesalers´ Association. He expects the price of these vegetable items to rise further in the coming few days.
“Price of popular vegetable items has increased by more than Rs 20 as compared to prices recorded during last Dashain,” Khatiwada added.
According to Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board - the government authority that oversees management of Kalimati vegetable market, prices of popular vegetable items such as tomato (small), red potato, dry onion, cabbage, brinjal (long), cow pea, French bean, pointed gourd, bottle gourd and radish, among others have increased as compared to the prices recorded a couple of weeks ago.
The prices of carrot, tomato (big), cauliflower and cucumber have slightly declined.
However, there is a huge gap between wholesale and retail price of popular vegetable products as retailers are arbitrarily raising prices taking advantage of short supply in the market.
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