Green vegetables were in short supply in Kathmandu Valley on Friday, triggering a wholesale price rise of up to 225 percent. The country has been experiencing continuous rainfall since Monday, disrupting supply routes to the Capital.

The situation has worsened since Wednesday morning as incessant rainfall halted transport, causing a sharp spike in retail prices amid the ongoing festive season. Traders said prices are likely to remain high until supply chains return to normal, winter vegetables begin arriving, and the festivities conclude. However, prices have yet to ease.

Throughout Thursday, most parts of Nepal witnessed light to moderate rainfall triggered by Cyclone Montha. The cyclone originated in the Bay of Bengal made landfall in India’s Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday night, and created a low-pressure system near Nepal.

The country, which had already been receiving rainfall since Monday due to westerly winds triggered by a depression in the Arabian Sea, came under the indirect influence of Cyclone Montha’s weather system from Thursday.

According to the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market Development Board, wholesale prices of green vegetables rose by up to 225 percent on Friday. The market received only 387 tonnes of vegetables on Thursday—less than half of the normal daily supply of around 700 tonnes.

Kathmandu’s vegetable demand is largely met by supplies from neighbouring districts such as Dhading, Chitwan, Makawanpur, Kavrepalanchok, and the Tarai. Even slight disruptions along these routes immediately affect the Valley’s food supply.

Data from the Kalimati Board showed that wholesale prices of several vegetables have surged significantly within a month. Items such as tomato, potato, onion, carrot, cabbage, cauliflower, radish, eggplant, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, pointed gourd, smooth gourd, squash, turnip, okra, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, and mushrooms have all become expensive.

“Vegetable shipment has not improved since Dashain. The seasonal gap also reduced the supply in the market,” said Binaya Shrestha, information officer at the Kalimati board. “Summer vegetables have stopped arriving, and winter vegetables are yet to come, creating a supply gap.”

Farmers are also busy harvesting paddy, leading to lower vegetable output, he said. The Chhath festival has further reduced supplies from the Tarai as farmers in those districts enter a festive mood. Shrestha added that prices would normalise once the rainfall stops and winter vegetables start arriving.

According to Nepal Rastra Bank, year-on-year consumer price inflation stood at 1.87 percent in mid-September 2025, compared to 3.86 percent a year ago. The price index of the vegetable sub-category had decreased by 12.74 percent during the review period.

On Friday, the wholesale price of small local tomatoes surged by 85.61 percent to Rs73 per kg, while small tunnel tomatoes rose by 74.33 percent to Rs87.60 per kg. In retail markets, tomatoes were priced at Rs90 to Rs100 per kg.

The price of red Indian potatoes jumped 60.34 percent to Rs46.50 per kg, while white potatoes climbed by 63.59 percent to Rs46.50 per kg. Retail potato prices ranged between Rs60 and Rs70 per kg.

Wholesale cabbage prices rose 41 percent to Rs70.50 per kg, while cauliflower prices more than doubled—up 102.67 percent to Rs152 per kg. In retail markets, cauliflower sold for Rs160 to Rs170 per kg in Kathmandu Valley.

Long eggplants saw the steepest rise, soaring by 225 percent to Rs65 per kg, while round eggplants rose 150 percent to Rs75 per kg. Retail eggplant prices hovered between Rs90 and Rs100 per kg.

The wholesale price of long cowpeas increased by 28.18 percent to Rs141 per kg. Bitter gourd prices surged 76.36 percent to Rs97 per kg, with retail prices ranging from Rs110 to Rs120 per kg.

Similarly, the wholesale price of bottle gourd rose by 41.82 percent to Rs78 per kg, with retail prices reaching Rs110 to Rs120 per kg.