July 21: The general public has been paying 344 percent more to purchase fresh vegetables at present compared to the same period of last year. According to the daily price list of the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Committee, the price of some fresh vegetables has gone up by 344 percent than that of last year. The committee informed that the prices of fruits and seasonal vegetables like cucumber and ladyfinger have skyrocketed.

According to the committee, the price of local cucumber, which was Rs 27 per kg on July 6 last year, has now reached Rs 120. This is an increase of 344 percent compared to last year. Prices of Indian gourds have increased by 76 percent.

Consumers have been paying Rs 115 for Indian tomatoes, which used to cost Rs 65 per kg. The price of Nepali toamtoes has gone up by 30 percent from Rs 65 per kg to Rs 85 this time. Likewise, the price of red beans has increased by 28 percent from Rs 105 to Rs 135.

The price of ladyfinger has gone up by 66 percent.  The prices of some seasonal fruits including mango have also gone up.

The price of mango (maldaha) was Rs 90 per kg last year. However, its price has reached Rs 130 per kg at present. Dashahari mango, which used to cost Rs 95 per kg last year now costs Rs 140. The price of pomegranate, which was Rs 290 per kg, has reached Rs 375 per kg.

Gita Prasad Acharya, chairperson of the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Committee, said that the price has gone up to some extent as it is time to sow the seeds.

"All the farmers are busy planting paddy at this time. The vegetable season is over and the farmers who are busy planting paddy have not been able to grow new vegetables. Its effect is seen in the market price,” Acharya told New Business Age.

Apart from this, the rise in fuel prices has also played a role in the rise in market prices. Ram Raj Basnet, who has been transporting vegetables to Kalimati, said that the market price has gone up due to the continuous increase in the price of petroleum products.