Vegetables prices soar at retail market

KATHMANDU, Nov 10: Vegetables prices have increased in the retail market due to drop in supplies and fear of the 10-day transportation shutdown called by an alliance of 33 political parties, including CPN-Maoist.



The shutdown begins from Monday. [break]



Prices of popular vegetables like cauliflower, brinjal, onion, carrot, tomato and mushroom have increased in range of Rs 10-20 per kg in the retail market compared to prices recorded last week. Tomato, which was retailed at Rs 60 per kg, is currently selling at Rs 80 per kg. Similarly, price of potato has increased by Rs 15 per kg to Rs 60.



Retailers have attributed price rise to drop in supply and fear emanating from the planned transportation strike of the dissenting political parties. “Vegetables prices have increased at the wholesale market itself due to low supplies,” Chirak Lama, a vegetable retailer at Chabahil, said. “Also, wholesalers have raised prices citing the 10-day transportation shutdown fearing further drop in supplies due to the shutdown.”



Price of cauliflower, which was sold at Rs 75 per kg last week, has reached Rs 90 per kg. Similarly price of brinjal has increased to Rs 80 per kg, up from last week´s Rs 65 per kg. Likewise, prices of bitter gourd, carrot and mushroom have increased by Rs 10, Rs 15 and Rs 15 per kg, respectively to Rs 65, Rs 135 and Rs 150 per kg.



Bharat Khatiwada, former president of Vegetable Wholesalers´ Association at the Kalimati vegetables market, attributed rise in prices to low supplies amid drop in local production. He also attributed price rise in the retail market to lack of information flow between wholesale and retail market. “Vegetable prices keep fluctuating at the wholesale market, but many retailers are unaware of it,” he added.







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Ease veg supplies: Baskota

KATHMANDU (REPUBLICA): Responding to hike in vegetable prices, Krishna Hari Baskota, secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, on Sunday urged the secretary at the Ministry of Agriultural Development (MoAD) and the Kalmati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board to do the needful for easing supply of vegetables in the market.

Moreover, Baskata also directed Nepal Police to escort vehicles carrying green vegatables to the capital during the transportation striked called by the CPN-Maoist. He also directed concerned government agencies to to intensify market inspection.

"At a time when the country is prepare for Constituent Assembly (CA) election, hefty rise in price of daily commodities is not a good sign. Anyone found involved in black-marketeering will be strictly punished," a press statement issued on Sunday quotes Baskota as saying.

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