Traders said they have no option but to sell vegetables at cheaper price because the market, which was partially destroyed by fire on March 3, lacks storage facilities. [break]
Also, trading hours are limited as renovation works are going on.
“We have to sell off vegetables because the market opens from 6 am to 2pm only. The market also lacks proper facilities to store perishable goods like vegetables,” Geeta Prasad, a wholesaler. Another wholesaler Ramu Yadav echoed Geeta and said traders like him were suffering huge loss because of limited trading hours at the country´s largest vegetables market.
According to Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board, wholesale prices of popular vegetable like carrot, cabbage, cauliflower, brinjal, French bean, bitter gourd, pumpkin and squash have decreased by up to Rs 25 per kg. Biggest drop has been seen in the price of bitter gourd whose price has gone down by Rs 25 per kg, making it Rs 55 per kg.
Similarly, price of brinjal has decreased by Rs 14 per kg and is presently selling for Rs 26 per kg; cauliflower is selling cheaper by Rs 6 per kg at Rs 18 per kg. The price of carrot and pumpkin has decreased by Rs 2 per kg to Rs 24 and Rs 22 per kg respectively. Price of squash has come down by Rs 6 per kg and is presently selling for Rs 12 per kg and the price of French bean has decreased by Rs 4 per kg, making it Rs 34 per kg.
Bharat Khatiwada, president of Vegetables Wholesalers´ Association in Kalimati market, said the government has not taken any initiative to compensate the traders whose vegetables stock was destroyed by the fire.
“We´ve already submitted a report, calculating loss suffered by the farmers, to the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. But the ministry is yet to respond,” added Khatiwada.
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