Veggie prices increase due to limited supply

Kathmandu, February 7

The retail price of various vegetables has started rising in domestic market in recent days due to dwindling supply.

Among others, the retail prices of vegetables like tomatoes, potatoes, cabbages, cauliflowers, eggplants, green peas, French beans (simi), sword beans (tateysimi), bottle gourds (lauka), among others have become dearer in the market over the past few days.

While French beans used to be available at Rs 73 per kg till Sunday, its price has gone up to Rs 115 a kg today. The retail price of tomatoes has reached Rs 55 per kg today against Rs 45 a kg till Sunday. Similarly, cauliflower has become dearer by Rs 10 per kg to Rs 65 a kg over the review period, and potato has become costlier by five rupees per kg to Rs 38 per kg. Likewise, price of cabbage and eggplant has increased by three rupees each to Rs 48 per kg and Rs 68 per kg, respectively.

The retail price of green peas has risen by five rupees per kg to Rs 73 a kg, sword beans by seven rupees per kg to Rs 95 a kg and that of bottle gourds by three rupees per kg to Rs 68 per kg,.

Binaya Shrestha, information officer at the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market Development Board (KFVMDB), said that the price of vegetables has started to go up both at the wholesale and retail markets as vegetable supply has reduced in the past few days due to unfavourable weather in different districts.

“The foggy weather in different districts has discouraged farmers from harvesting vegetables,” said Shrestha, adding this is also off-season for different vegetables, including tomatoes.

As per KFVMDB, the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market has been receiving an average of 700 tonnes of vegetables per day this week, while almost 750 tonnes of vegetables were supplied to the market every day in past weeks.