The prices of popular vegetables have soared over the past month in Kathmandu Valley amid a drop in supply.

The onset of monsoon season and farmers’ in the Tarai getting busy with paddy plantation have stemmed the flow of vegetables into the Capital.

The Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market on Tuesday reported a drop in shipments, leading to the increase in prices of popular vegetables such as tomato, potato, onion, black eye beans, lady finger, among others.  

“We usually observe a drop in shipments during monsoon,” said Raj Kumar Baral, treasurer at the Vegetable and Fruits Wholesalers Organisation. “The market is heavily dependent on tunnel farming for the supply of tomatoes. But tunnel farms cannot meet the soaring demand.”

According to Baral, the market has seen rise in prices due to the low local production.

As of July 5, vendors are selling tomato at Rs100 against Rs75 a month ago. Retail prices of carrot, onion, lady finger have also jumped by 100 percent, 14.28 percent and 66.66 percent, respectively, over the past month.

On the other hand, an increase in supply of green leafy vegetables has led to a drop in their prices. Almost all green leafy vegetables like mustard greens, spinach, fenugreek leaves and garden cress saw a 25 precent drop in retail prices.

The traders said the supply of locally produced green leafy vegetables has improved.

“Farmers around Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur, among other places, are supplying more than enough green leafy vegetables, leading to a drop in the prices,” said Durga Lal Shrestha, a fresh vegetable trader at the Kalimati market. “The prices are expected to drop further.”