April 19: The prices of fruits and green vegetables have skyrocketed due to the increase in freight charge, weak market monitoring and inflation in India, the source of these consumable goods. Transportation fares have reportedly skyrocketed due to the price hike of fuel. 

According to the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board (KFVMDB), the prices of fruits including bananas, apples, papaya, watermelons, grapes and oranges have skyrocketed in the last one month. 

Bananas, which were available at Rs 100 a dozen a month ago, are now priced at Rs 200. Likewise, the price of Fuji apple, which was available at Rs 250 per kg, has reached Rs 275 per kg in the wholesale market. The retail price of this apple ranges from Rs 350 to Rs 380. Similarly, the wholesale price of black grapes, which was Rs 190 per kg is now Rs 220. Traders in the retail market arbitrarily charge anything between Rs 250 to Rs 280 for black grapes. The price of green grapes, which was Rs 100 per kg a month ago, has now reached Rs 145. 

The price of lemon has increased the most. The wholesale price of lemon, which was Rs 250 per kg a month ago, has now reached Rs 325. Consumers have complained that they have to pay up to Rs 500 in the retail market. 

Entrepreneur Harish Sharma, who has been importing lemons from India, said that the demand for lemons in the Indian market has increased with the onset of summer but they have to pay more due to declining production. “The price of freight has gone up and on top of that the price of lemon has gone up in India itself,” Sharma said. 

According to the data of the board, until a month ago, around 15 tons of lemons used to arrive at Kalimati daily. Now, only 5-6 tons of lemons arrive in Kalimati. The government statistics show that lemon is cultivated in 5,445 hectares of land in Nepal, and the domestic production is 46,118 tons per annum. 

Similarly, the prices of the green vegetables have also surged. The price of local cauliflower has gone up by Rs 70 per kg, from Rs 15 to Rs 85 in a month. The price of carrots, which was Rs 15 per kg, has gone up to Rs 30. Likewise, the price of beans, which was Rs 70 per kg, has reached Rs 85. The price of peas has increased from Rs 50 to Rs 70. 

Consumer rights activists have a different story to share regarding inflation. They say that employees of the Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection, the body responsible for monitoring the market, have been deployed in outlying districts in preparation for the upcoming election. Due to the lack of proper monitoring, the traders have increased the prices arbitrarily.