Vegetable prices surge as October rain hit production

By Our Correspondent,Sarlahi, Dec. 15: The heavy rainfall in early October has had a lasting effect on vegetable farming in Sarlahi, leaving farmers unable to achieve the harvest they had expected. The downpour caused waterlogging, which submerged many vegetable plants, damaging crops and making it difficult for farmers to grow vegetables as they usually do.

Farmers have expressed frustration, saying they couldn’t produce enough vegetables this year due to the rain. However, those who managed to protect their crops are now reaping higher profits.

Vegetable prices have surged this year, with costs more than double that of last year. While farmers are benefiting from these higher prices, consumers are facing the impact of increased costs. The cauliflower, which was being sold at Rs. 30-40 per kilogram last year, is now being sold for Rs. 80 per kilogram at the Dumdume wholesale market in Lalbandi, Sarlahi.

The reduced production this year has resulted in consistently high prices, according to traders. “Last year, a 25-kg crate of cauliflower sold at Rs. 700-800, but this year it costs over Rs. 2,000,” said Shambhu Prasad Ghimire, manager of the Agricultural Wholesale Market Management Committee. 

“We should have had a lot of cauliflower, but the October rain destroyed many of the plants,” he added. 

Farmers in northern Sarlahi, including Ishwarpur, Lalbandi, Hariwan and Bagmati, typically earn good income from cauliflower sales. Farmers from nearby Mahottari’s Bardibas and Gausala areas also sell their produce in the Lalbandi market.

Despite the challenges, cabbage prices remain strong this year, with farmers selling cauliflower for Rs. 60-70 per kilogram and cabbage for Rs. 30-40 per kilogram. 

Ram Dinesh Mahato, a farmer from Babar Ganj, Chandranagar Rural Municipality-2, shared his satisfaction with the income from cabbage this year, adding that it was being sold for over Rs. 100 per kilogram just a week ago.

However, prices are gradually starting to fall. In Lalbandi wholesale market, beans are selling for Rs. 110-115 per kilogram, while bitter gourd is priced at Rs. 100-120, and okra is being sold for Rs. 80 per kilogram.

Mohammad Usman, a trader in the Lalbandi market, said that after the heavy rains in September and October, vegetable supply has not kept up with the demand.

The reduced production has also led to a decline in the amount of vegetables being exported to other districts, including Kathmandu, creating a shortage in both local markets and exports.

While some farmers are earning a good income from limited vegetable production, the effects of the rains continue to affect both the farmers and consumers.