Kathmandu, November 12

The price of major vegetables has started to go up in the retail market over the last few weeks following persistent short-supply.

As domestic sources have been reducing supply citing different causes and vegetable prices have also gone up in India, which is a major source of vegetables for Nepal, the price of different vegetables has soared in the domestic market in recent days.

Among others, price of tomato, potato, onion, cabbage, radish, brinjal, beans and bitter gourd, among others have increased significantly in the retail market.

Manoj Bhusal, senior marketing officer of the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market Development Board (KFVMDB), said that the market in Kathmandu Valley is currently receiving only about 550 tonnes of vegetables every day against the daily demand of almost 700 metric tonnes.

Comparative prices

Vegetables

Two weeks back

At present

Tomato

Rs 85

Rs 105

Potato

Rs 55

Rs 65

Onion

Rs 75

Rs 85

Cabbage

Rs 65

Rs 85

Radish

Rs 35

Rs 40

Brinjal

Rs 65

Rs 75

Beans

Rs 85

Rs 105

Bitter Gourd

Rs 85

Rs 95

“Vegetable production has been low this year as the adverse monsoons a few months back affected a majority of farmlands in the Tarai. Similarly, a majority of farmers are yet to harvest different seasonal vegetables this year resulting in short-supply of vegetables in the market,” informed Bhusal.

According to him, the recent rise in the price of vegetables like tomato, onion and bitter gourd in the Indian market has also affected their price in the Nepali market.

Among others, the retail price of tomato has surged by Rs 20 per kg over a period of two weeks to Rs 105 per kg. Similarly, the retail price of potato has increased by Rs 10 per kg over the review period to Rs 65 per kg.

Likewise, the retail price of onion has also increased by Rs 10 per kg to Rs 85 per kg over the last two weeks. Nepal heavily relies on India for onion. Meanwhile, price of cabbage has also seen an increment of Rs 20 per kg to Rs 85 per kg in the Kathmandu Valley.

Similarly, radish, brinjal, beans and bitter gourd have also surged in the domestic market lately. Compared to their retail price recorded two weeks ago, radish and brinjal have become dearer by five rupees per kg and Rs 10 per kg, respectively, to Rs 40 per kg and Rs 75 per kg, respectively.

Similarly, the retail price of beans has increased by Rs 20 per kg to Rs 105 and bitter gourd has become dearer by Rs 10 per kg to Rs 95 over the two-week review period.