Stung by high vegetable prices, hoteliers and restaurateurs in the lake city have accused the local administration of doing nothing to control the mediators that have been unnaturally raising prices of commodities. [break]
Stating that they cannot revise their menu now and then, some hoteliers said they have started reducing the use of vegetable items in delicacies that they prepare. Some have even reduced the size of delicacies like momo to reduce their increasing operating cost.
Price of chicken has jumped to as high as Rs 330 per kg, while prices of most of the popular vegetables have increased to more than Rs 100 per kg in the last few months.
"Local administration is doing nothing even as prices of major vegetables have increased to almost Rs 100 per kg in the last one and a half months," said Biplav Paudel, Chairman of Western Regional Hotel Association of Nepal. "This has seriously affected menus in hotels and restaurants in the lake city."
Paudel suggested authorities concerned to immediately intervene into the market and identify reasons behind unnatural price hike.
"Hotels and restaurants are facing huge loss as they can´t change menu overnight," Paudel added. He further informed that hotels were investing as much as Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 a day for vegetables and meat products, which is three times higher than what they used to invest a few months ago.
"The rise in vegetable prices is not due to low production or disruption in supplies. Mediators are fleecing both farmers and entrepreneurs," he added.
Balaram Pahari, chairman of Pokhara Chapter of Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal (REBAN), echoed Poudel.
"Restaurants operating with a profit margin of 15 to 20 percent have been adversely affected with the rise in prices of vegetables and meat products," Pahari, who is the owner of Fea Lake Restaurant, said, accusing the local administration of doing nothing to tame the unnatural prices.
But Pahari brushed aside accusations that eateries were reducing the use of vegetables and meat products in their dishes.
"We can´t compromise on the quality to avoid loss. Other eateries might have involved such practice, but restaurants under REBAN won´t do that," Pahari argued.
Gautam Udas, the owner of Almond Café and Restaurant, said unnatural price hike has made it difficult for eateries in the lake city to continue business. "We are suffering loss as we can´t change menu now and then," Udas, who is the second vice chairman of City REBAN - the association of eateries operating outside the Lakeside -- said.
City REBAN has more than three dozen restaurants under its umbrella.
"Our monthly expenditure on vegetables has increased to Rs 80,000 from about Rs 50,000 a few months ago," Udas said, adding, "We must serve our regular menus no matter how big our loss is."
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