KATHMANDU, Aug 14: Recent floods in the eastern part of Nepal have caused the supply of vegetables to the Kathmandu Valley to go down by at least 100 tons.
"The daily supply of vegetables in the valley stands at 600 to 700 tons, but only 400 to 500 tons of vegetables were unloaded in the Kalimati wholesale market on Sunday," said Binaya Shrestha, deputy director at Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board.
"The supply deficit has caused the prices of some vegetables to go up in the last two days."
Price hike in vegetable items that are imported from India depends upon price fluctuation in India.
"Indian market determines the price of items like onion and potato, Shrestha added: "The recent floods and landslides in different parts of the country have also contributed in the price hike."
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Price fluctuation in the wholesale market is not noticeable but the difference in comparison to the retail market is huge, according to Shrestha.
"In my observation, there is a huge difference between the price of vegetables marked in the wholesale and retail markets in the recent days."
Officers claim that it will take time for the market prices to be back to normal as the fields of tarai have been flooded. Monsoon has caused landslides in major highways through which vegetables are transported into the valley. Damages in roadways can cause delay in the import of vegetables.
"Frequent landslides along the Narayanghat-Mugling highway have disrupted supply, creating additional price hike in the market."
The market was already seeing price hike in vegetable items as production and supply get minimized every year during monsoon. Major vegetables like potato, tomato and onion are imported from India to meet the demand of the Valley.
