By Our Correspondent, Dhading, Apr 5:  The flow of people at the vegetable collection centre of Charaudi, Benighat has significantly decreased following the implementation of nationwide lockdown.

This is the centre from where daily around 40-50 tonnes of vegetables used to be supplied to various places, including Kathmandu, Pokhara and Butwal.

Now only five tonnes of vegetables are being supplied from this centre daily after the enforcement of lockdown.

With the reduction of flow of traders from Kathmandu and Pokhara, the local traders have been compelled to sell vegetables at cheaper rates.

This is one of the 18 major vegetable collection centres across the country.

Although the government has decided to allow the vehicles carrying essential goods including vegetables to ply on the road during the lockdown, the farmers who are growing off-season vegetables have been unable to sell their products due to the lockdown.

The government has enforced the nationwide lockdown from March 24 to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Resham Upreti, market manager of Krishak Sudhar Fruit and Vegetable Collection Centre of Charaudi, said that the price of vegetables had decreased significantly this year due to the lockdown.

“At present, the farmers are compelled to sell vegetables, including cucumber and bottle gourd at Rs 30- 40 per kilogram while its price was above Rs 100 per kilogram last year,” he said.

According to him, the farmers were supplying vegetables to Pokhara and Kathmandu by managing local jeeps themselves as the traders stopped visiting the centre to purchase vegetables due to lockdown.

Keshab Nakarmi, representative of Ganesh Cooperatives Centre of Benighat, said that the farmers were facing problem to get passes for vehicles to transport vegetables to the market.