Sarlahi farmers getting good prices for vegetables

By Our Correspondent,Sarlahi, Jan. 20: The vegetable farmers of Sarlahi district are now happy after every green vegetable they have produced started getting good prices for the past few days. Tomatoes, beans and brinjal are produced immensely in the district.  

The price of these vegetables has doubled this week compared to their prices a week ago. The farmers who often used to complain that they were unable to recover the production cost in lack of market, have got relief after their products began fetching better prices.

The beans produced by the farmers were sold at Rs. 18 to Rs. 20 per kg until a week ago. Currently, the farmers are selling beans at Rs. 35 to Rs. 40 per kg, according to Lalbandi Wholesale Vegetable Market.

Similarly, farmers are selling a crate of 25 kg tomatoes for Rs. 500 to Rs. 600. Until 10 days ago, a crate of tomatoes cost Rs. 250 to Rs. 300. Mohammad Usman, a trader at Lalbandi Wholesale Vegetable Market, said that large-sized tomatoes were being sold at Rs. 600 per crate and small-sized at Rs. 500 per crate.

According to him, the prices of vegetables started soaring from the eve of  Maghe Sankranti. Traders said that the demand for vegetables from outside markets had also increased, leading to an increase in vegetable prices. Brinjal, which was difficult to sell even at Rs. 10 to Rs. 15 per kg, is now being sold at Rs. 40 per kg.

Ramdas Ray, a farmer of Lalbandi Municipality-11, Hirapur, expressed his happiness that he was getting good prices by selling vegetables for the past few days. Vegetables are grown commercially in Lalbandi, Harion, Ishwarpur, Chandranagar, Haripur, Barhathwa and Godaita of the district.

The vegetables produced by the farmers here are consumed in the weekly market of Sarlahi and supplied to Kathmandu, Pokhara, Narayangadh, Birgunj, Gaur and other markets.