Stories
Tomatoes at 160, Cabbage at 135: Rain's Double Attack Deepens Nepal's Vegetable Crisis.
- •Continuous rain and landslides in Nepal have disrupted vegetable supply routes to Kathmandu, causing prices to skyrocket.
- •Supply to Kalimati Vegetable Market, Nepal's largest, has dropped by two-thirds, from a normal 700-800 tons to just 242 tons.
- •Wholesale tomato prices surged by 61.76% to 110 Nepali rupees (₹69) per kg, reaching 150-160 Nepali rupees (₹100) in retail.
- •Cabbage saw an even sharper jump, with wholesale prices increasing by 171.43% to 95 Nepali rupees (₹60) per kg.
- •Upcoming festivals and wedding season are expected to further increase demand, potentially exacerbating inflation.
Key Questions Answered
Continuous heavy rainfall and subsequent landslides caused by a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal blocked major transport routes and highways like the Prithvi and BP Highways, causing vegetable supplies to Nepal's largest Kalimati Vegetable Market to drop by about two-thirds.
In one week, the wholesale price of tomatoes increased by 61.76 percent to 110 Nepali rupees per kg while retail prices reached 150-160 Nepali rupees per kg. Meanwhile, cabbage saw an even sharper jump with wholesale prices rising by 171.43 percent to 95 Nepali rupees per kg.
Kathmandu's daily vegetable requirements are normally fulfilled by neighboring districts including Dhading, Chitwan, Makwanpur, and Kavrepalanchok, along with several areas across the Terai region.
