Kathmandu, July 8
The monsoon has been active in Nepal over the past few days, causing floods, landslides, and inundations that have disrupted daily life in various parts of the country. The disruption in transportation due to these natural calamities has also affected the national highways and rural roads, leading to a sharp increase in vegetable prices in urban areas.
According to the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market Development Board, wholesale prices have seen a significant hike over the past week, resulting in even higher consumer prices. Prices of almost all vegetables and fruits have risen, with radishes and mushrooms experiencing the highest increases.
On July 1, large tomatoes were sold at an average price of Rs 66.67 per kg. By Monday, July 8, the price had surged to Rs 110 per kg.
The price of small (local) tomatoes, which was Rs 14.2 per kilogram on July 1, reached Rs 55 per kg on Sunday, before dropping to Rs 44 per kg on Monday.
Small (tunnel-grown) tomatoes were priced at Rs 22.8 per kg a week ago, but on Monday, their price reached Rs 63 per kg.
The monsoon has also impacted potato prices. A week ago, red potatoes were priced at Rs 61.2 per kg, and by Monday, the price had increased to Rs 65.2 per kg. Red potatoes (from Mudhe) were priced at Rs 51.2 per kg a week ago, rising to Rs 53 per kg on Sunday. However, there has been no significant change in the price of white potatoes.
On Monday, the prices of most agricultural produce soared due to heavy rainfall. The price of local carrots dropped from Rs 85 per kg on Sunday to Rs 64 per kg on Monday. Similarly, the price of local cauliflower fell from Rs 95 per kg on Sunday to Rs 65 per kg on Monday.
Red radish prices have skyrocketed. A week ago, red radishes were priced at Rs 35 per kg, but on Monday, the price reached Rs 75 per kg. The price of white radishes has remained stable at Rs 45 per kg for the past week, although it briefly spiked to Rs 56 per kg.
The price of string beans was Rs 54 per kg a week ago, rising to Rs 65 per kg on Sunday before dropping to Rs 56 per kg on Monday. The price of maize beans increased from Rs 85 per kg a week ago to Rs 110 per kg this week, before falling back to Rs 85 per kg on Monday.
The price of oyster mushrooms was Rs 100 per kg a week ago, reaching Rs 164 per kg on Monday. Similarly, the price of button mushrooms, which was Rs 220 per kg a week ago, soared to Rs 300 per kg on Monday.
The price of Malda mangoes rose from Rs 76.67 per kg a week ago to Rs 86.67 per kg on Monday. However, the price of lemons dropped from Rs 244 per kg a week ago to Rs 220 per kg on Monday, according to the board.
According to the Department of Roads, 215 national highway locations across the country were affected this year. Among them, roads in 20 locations are still not operational, and only one-way traffic is possible in 108 locations. The current status of rural roads remains unclear, according to the department.
