Prices of tomatoes, potatoes surge

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Apr. 7:The price of green vegetables has increased sharply in the Kathmandu Valley over the last couple of weeks due to a reduction in their supply.

According to the price index of the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market Development Board, the price of vegetables has increased by 30 per cent to 50 per cent in the last two weeks.

The wholesale price of potatoes, tomatoes, bitter gourd, okra and beans has gone up noticeably in the market. However, the price of cauliflower, cabbage and brinjal has decreased.

The supply of vegetables dropped by around by 15 per cent in last two weeks due to lower production across the country which led to an increase in their prices, said Bhagawan Chandra Upreti, wholesaler of the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market Development Board (KFVMDB).

“Around 600 tonnes of vegetables, including potatoes and onions, are entering in Kalimati market daily at present, while it was above 700 tonnes one month ago,” he said.

The production of local vegetables has decreased due to season end along with lack of rains, he said, adding that the supply of local vegetables will remain low for a month, he said.

In the Kalimati Wholesale Market, the price of tomatoes and potatoes has increased significantly over the weeks, he said. The price of tomatoes has increased by 45 per cent and potatoes by 36 per cent within two weeks, said Upreti.

In the wholesale market on Saturday, a kilo of tomatoes is being sold at Rs. 80 and potatoes at Rs. 45. Two weeks ago, tomatoes were sold at Rs. 55 per kg and potatoes at Rs. 35 per kg. According to him, the price of potatoes has increased significantly this season compared to the past.

“Potato price is higher this season than in the past few years. After the government imposed VAT on potatoes imported from India, the price of potato in Nepal has also increased even during the production period. After many years, the farmers of Nepal have been able to get good prices for potatoes," he said.

Ramsharan Dahal, a farmer of Panchkhal Municipality-3, said that he sold potatoes at Rs. 40 per kg from the farm. He said that potatoes have not been sold at the current price in this season for five to seven years.

“Farmers are happy after getting a good price. If the farmers get this rate during the season of potato production, the farmers will be encouraged further for potato cultivation in coming years,” he said.

Farmers were compelled to sell potatoes at around Rs. 25-Rs. 30 per kg in the last year during the production season.

According to Upreti, the price of beans has reached Rs. 56 per kg, green peas Rs. 90 per kg, bitter gourd Rs. 120 per kg, okra Rs. 100 per kg and onion Rs. 70 per kg.

A kg of sponge gourd is being sold at Rs. 110 per kg and bottle gourd at Rs. 60 per kg at Kalimati on Saturday. However, the price of cabbage dropped to Rs.  12 per kg, cauliflower to Rs. 35 per kg and brinjal to Rs. 20 per kg.

At present, vegetables from surrounding districts including Kavrepalanchowk, Dhading, Manwanpur are entering in large quantity compared to other areas. 

More expensive at retail

Although the farmers have benefited from the increase in the price of vegetables, consumers have been struggling to pay for the vegetables for daily consumption.

Consumers have been forced to buy vegetables at double the price in retail shops, said Upreti. 

He said consumers would not consume vegetables in line with the wholesale price until the government started monitoring the retail market effectively.

"We have to pay a high price for vegetables in the retail market compared to the wholesale market. It is natural to pay high price compared to wholesale market prices due to the high profit margin of retailers. But the retailers are selling vegetables at double the price," said consumer Ganga Subedi of Gatthaghar, Bhaktapur.

She said that vegetable consumers have been cheated while buying daily consumption items from the retailers due to absence of government presence in market monitoring.

"I bought a half kilo of bitter gourd at Rs. 75, a kg of tomatoes at Rs. 110 per kg and 2.5 kg of potatoes at Rs. 150 on Saturday morning," she said, "so the concerned bodies should monitor the market effectively to provide relief to the consumers to purchase vegetables in line with the wholesale price.”

The price of vegetables is much different among the retailers, so how to know the actual price of vegetables, she asked.