The prices of popular pulse varieties like black gram (Mas), green bean (Mung), pigeon bean (Rahar) and gram lentil (Chana Dal) have skyrocketed over the period.
According to Nepal Retailers´ Association, price of pigeon bean has almost doubled to Rs 140 per kg from Rs 72 recorded in July-August. Black gram, one of the popular pulse varieties, has also become dearer by Rs 30 per kg. Black gram is selling at Rs 110 per kg. In the like manner, prices of gram lentil and green bean also rose to Rs 72 and Rs 130 from Rs 64 and Rs 100 per kg respectively.
However, the price of red lentil (Musuro) has remained almost constant over the four month period.
Nikhil Jaisani, a Biratnagar-based importer of pulses, said India - the major supplier to Nepal - has been experiencing supply deficit of pulses due to devastating floods in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra states in September.
“The floods washed away pulse farms in those states which ultimately sparked shortage of pulses in India and pushed up the prices. The rise in prices in India has also been felt here,” Jaisani told myrepublica.com. He also informed that importers like him were depending on Myanmar, where prices of pulses have gone up by as much as 40 percent over a couple of months.
According to Jaisani, pulses are currently selling for $1,100 per ton in Myanmar, up from $800 a ton two months before.
Traders say the future supplies of pulses in Nepal depend on new harvest of pulses in India.
Prices of Sawa Jeera Mansuli and Taichin beaten rice have increased to Rs 48 per kg and Rs 64 per kg from Rs 44 per kg and Rs 34 recorded four months before.
Similarly, cooking oil has also become dearer over the period. Mustard oil and soybean oil are selling at Rs 105 and Rs 110 per liter, up from Rs 90 per liter each. Sunflower oil is selling at Rs 110 per kg from Rs 74 per kg recorded four months before.
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