The average retail price of major vegetable items has increased by up to 30 percent within a week. Mostly vegetables like potato red, onion and cabbage have become dearer.

Potato red, which used to cost Rs73 per kg a week ago, now sells for Rs95 per kg, up 30.14 percent. As shipments from major sources like Mude, Palung and Panauti fell this season, and stocks of domestic products ran out, traders are importing expensive potato from India and Bhutan, according to vegetable traders. Potato prices will remain on an upward trend till October, according to them.

Until newly harvested potato arrives in the market, prices will continue to rise, said Binaya Shrestha, deputy director of the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market Development Board (KFVMDB), adding that increased demand for potato during the festival season sent prices shooting. He said that potato prices might go down next week with the arrival of fresh harvests from domestic farmers.

Similarly, the price of onion which was Rs48 per kg until last week reached Rs63 on Monday, a jump of 31.25 percent. The price of cabbage has reached Rs55 per kg, up 22.22 percent from Rs45 per kg a week ago. Likewise, pointed gourd, which was priced at Rs55 per kg a week before, has become dearer by 18.18 percent with the price reaching Rs65 per kg on Monday.

Prices of vegetables like bottle gourd and eggplant remained constant over the week. Bottle gourd and eggplant each cost Rs45 per kg, the same as a week ago. Meanwhile, prices of seasonal vegetables like local cauliflower, bitter gourd and mushroom have decreased due to sufficient supplies.

Local cauliflower, which used to cost Rs65 per kg a week ago, was selling for Rs45 per kg on Monday at the KFVMDB. The price of bitter gourd has decreased by 10.53 percent to Rs85 per kg from to Rs95 per kg a week ago.

Mushroom was selling for Rs105 per kg on Monday, a sharp drop of 44.55 percent from Rs190 per kg a week ago. Prices of these vegetable went down as there was sufficient supply due to good harvests. According to an official of the KFVMDB, the market has been receiving 700-750 tonnes of vegetables and fruits daily from districts like Dhading, Makwanpur, Siraha, Chitwan, Sarlahi and Bhaktapur.