Vegetable prices declining, but still expensive for consumers

BY A STAFF REPORTER Kathmandu, May 8: The price of vegetables, which has been skyrocketing for the past few months, has started declining lately.  With the beginning of the season of vegetable production in Nepal, the price of green vegetables has started declining in the market after a long time, said traders of Kalimati Market.

According to the traders of Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market Development Board (KFVMDB), the prices of green vegetables have fallen by around 40 to 50 per cent in the last two weeks.

Vegetable trader at Kalimati Market Bhagawan Chandra Upreti said that the price of vegetables has come down in the market due to the improvement in their supply and reduction in consumption as well.

According to him, the price of vegetables has dropped by 50 per cent now compared to the prices of two weeks back.

No vegetable was less than Rs. 85-90 per kg in the wholesale market three weeks ago. But now, the wholesale price of vegetables except tomatoes is not more than Rs. 60 per kilogram at present.

However, the price of vegetables in the retail market is higher than the wholesale market.

The wholesale price of per kg tomatoes stands at Rs. 70 at present while cabbage, okra, brinjal, bitter gourd and potatoes were traded at Rs. 45 per kg, Rs. 40, Rs. 35, Rs. 20 and Rs. 30 on Saturday respectively.

The price of jackfruit is Rs. 40 per kilogram, capsicum Rs. 60 per kg and beans Rs. 20 per kg in Kalimati wholesale market.  

Even though the price of vegetables decreased sharply in the wholesale market, consumers have not felt relief significantly due to the high profit margin of retailers.

Gita Banjara of Gatthaghar said that she bought jackfruit at Rs. 100 per kg in the retail market on Saturday morning. Not only jackfruit, the price of all vegetable items is still high in the retail market, she said.

“I purchased a kg of tomatoes at Rs. 100, beans at Rs. 80, okra at Rs. 60, capsicum at Rs. 100,” she said. She asked the government to monitor the vegetable market to control artificial profit taken by the retailers.

The price of vegetables in the market has been fluctuating based on the supply and demand.

The price of vegetables would further decline in the coming days because demand of vegetables will decrease as a large number of people from Kathmandu would go to their hometown to cast their votes in May 13 polls. He said that the price of lemon is still high in the market. A kg of lemon is being traded at Rs. 300 in the wholesale market. However, the wholesale price of lemon had reached Rs. 450 per kg a month ago.

According to Upreti, vegetable supply stood at 800 tonnes in the Kalimati market over the two weeks on a daily basis. The supply of vegetables was limited to 600 tonnes two weeks ago.

Around 150 tonnes of vegetables, including onion, lemon and potatoes are being imported from India to Kalimati market.