Bumper harvest brings vegetable prices down

Bumper harvest brings vegetable prices down
eKantipur.com, 12-Feb-08

The prices of major vegetables have plunged over the last two months following abundant harvests. Traders and officials attribute the cheaper rates to bumper production and increased deliveries of fresh produce.
According to Binaya Shrestha, planning officer at the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board, incoming shipments of vegetables at the Kalimati marketplace has shot up to 700 tons per day from 150 tons during the normal season.

“This is the peak season for harvesting vegetables. Besides, farmers are growing more vegetables than before,” Shrestha told the Post. “Vegetable growing districts are exporting their fresh produce in large quantities, and it has caused the supply to go up,” he added.

The data prepared by the board shows that the prices of red and white potatoes have gone down to Rs 11 and Rs 10 per kg respectively from Rs 14 two months ago. Onions are selling for Rs 12 per kg, down from Rs 18.

Bharat Upreti, a wholesaler of potatoes and onions at Kalimati, said that increased production in the key vegetable growing districts like Kabhre was the reason behind the deluge of potatoes in the marketplace.

According to Upreti, the districts of Kabhre, Bara and Parsa are the dominant producers of potatoes, with Kabhre accounting for more than 70 percent of the supply in Kathmandu. However, all the onions sold in the local market are imported from India. “The continuing decline in the price of onions in India means that the vegetable has become cheaper here as India fulfills more than 98 percent of Nepal's requirement,” Upreti said.

Traders said that around 40 tons of onions and 200 tons of potatoes were arriving in the marketplace daily.

Carrots and cabbages have also become cheaper. They are selling for Rs 16 and Rs 7 per kg compared to Rs 27 and Rs 9 two months earlier. Likewise, the prices of local cauliflower and tarai cauliflower have come down to Rs 20 and Rs 13 per kg.

Traders say that potatoes, cauliflowers and cabbages will become cheaper yet as production will continue to go up for the next few months.

However, tomatoes are a little more expensive this season because of a poor harvest. According to the board's data, the prices of big and small tomatoes have increased to Rs 20 per kg from Rs 19 and Rs 14 two month ago.