"The supply has dropped by well around 200 tons,” said Ramesh Dangol, planning officer of Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board (KFVMDB) that oversees the operations of the market.[break]
According to Dangol, the demand for vegetables at this season averages at around 700 tons a day; but the market on Monday received just about 500 tons.
Wholesalers said they have not been supplied with adequate quantity of vegetables because production of vegetables in local farms has dropped due to delayed monsoon. “Long-running dry spell has hurt the output. As a result, vegetable prices have escalated higher than what it was at this season last year,” said Dangol.
Popular vegetables that witnessed significant price rises were tomato, cabbage, local cauliflower, white radish, long brinjal, cow pea, green peas, French bean, bitter gourd and pointed gourd, among others.
On Monday, the price of tomato in wholesale market rose to Rs 30 per kg from Rs 25 per kg of a week ago. Cauliflower became expensive by Rs 5 and was traded at Rs 50 per kg.
Cabbage was priced Rs 42 per kg, which was expensive by Rs 4 per kg compared to last week´s price. Bitter gourd was traded at Rs 38 per kg, up by Rs 3 per kg. French beans cost retailers Rs 70 per kg, which was Rs 60 per kg last Monday.
As retailers set prices on ad hoc basis, taking profit at an average of 50 percent, there was a huge different between retail and wholesale prices on Monday as well.
Moreover, wholesalers at Kalimati market predicted that the price of vegetables might further go up in days ahead if the present stretch of dry season did not end soon.
"We do not anticipate the supply to improve without adequate rainfall. In such a situation, prices will climb further,” stated Dangol.
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