The average retail price of vegetables in the Kathmandu Valley has dropped by up to 26 percent in just one week as demand continues to fall amid adequate production and supply. According to vegetable traders, the rainfall which greeted the Capital on Wednesday saw people opting to buy meat instead of vegetable, further decreasing prices.

Prices of vegetables like tomato big and small, cauliflower local and terai, green peas, sword beans, strings beans and green vegetables have decreased up to 26 percent while the retail prices of vegetable such as potato red and white, onion, cabbage, egg plant round and long, bottle gourd and broccoli have remained unchanged.

A trader at Balkhu Fruit and Vegetable Market expect vegetable prices to fall even lower. He explained that people prefer not to consume vegetables during the winter season, opting instead to buy meat, especially when it is rainy. According to Resham Tamang, administrator at Balkhu Fruit and Vegetable Market, prices of seasonal vegetables have decreased sharply after Dashain and Tihar this year compared to the same period last year.

The downfall in demand for vegetables during the winter season is the main reason for decreasing prices, he said. Vegetable demand has decreased as vegetables remains fresh for a longer period in winter, he added.

Manoj Dhital, senior marketing officer at Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market Development Board said that the price has decreased due to sufficient supply. He said that the price fluctuation of vegetables is normal depending on production, supply and demand of the vegetables.

The retail prices of tomato small and big have dropped by 13.33 and 22.22 percent respectively. Tomato small price is priced at Rs65 per kg while tomato big cost Rs35 per kg.

Similarly, cauliflower local and Terai price has fallen by 18.18 and 22.22 percent respectively. Cauliflower local is being sold at Rs45 per kg while cauliflower Terai priced at Rs35 per kg.  

Likewise, the prices of potato red and white have held at Rs45 and Rs35 per kg. The price of onion was stable at Rs45 per kg.

Prices of off season vegetable such as bitter gourd, okra have gone up more by than Rs100 per kg as majority of such vegetables arrive from India, Tamang said.