Nepal: Vegetable prices soar in Kathmandu after devastating floods

Kathmandu: The prices of vegetables have skyrocketed in Nepal's capital these days in the wake of devastating floods and landslides across the country.

The wholesale price of small tomatoes surged from 30.67 Nepali rupees per kilogram on September 27 to 75 rupees per kilogram on September 29 before moderating to 65 rupees per kilogram on Wednesday, according to the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market Development Board, a government agency responsible for regulating the largest vegetable market in the Kathmandu Valley.

Likewise, the average wholesale price of brinjals soared from 27.67 rupees per kilogram on September 27 to 95 rupees per kilogram on September 30 before falling to 55 rupees per kilogram on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The price of bottle gourds also skyrocketed to 95 rupees per kilogram on Wednesday from 35 rupees per kilogram on September 27.

According to the government, highways and bridges were among the properties damaged most in the disasters spelt by incessant monsoon rains on September 27 and 28, and the entrances to the Kathmandu Valley were once blocked.

The supply of vegetables to Kathmandu nosedived to 152 tonnes on September 29 from the normal 600-650 tonnes per day, but it grew to 787 tonnes and 526 tonnes respectively in the following two days, according to the market development board.

"But the prices are likely to remain elevated because there is the risk of further obstruction of the roads amid the forecast of renewed rainfalls in different parts of the country starting from Wednesday," said Binay Shrestha, the board's information officer.

The supply of vegetables to the Kathmandu Valley from neighbouring districts has remained obstructed due to damaged highways, said Gita Prasad Acharya, president of the Kalimati Vegetable and Fruits Wholesale Market Traders' Association.

"Likewise, floods and inundation have damaged the vegetable farms in many places and the impact will be seen from the prices of vegetables in the days to come," he added.

By Tuesday evening, 226 deaths and 159 injuries were confirmed while 25 others remained missing in the disasters, according to the home ministry.