Garlic, ginger, pumpkin get dearer

The prices of garlic, ginger and pumpkin have gone up by more than nine per cent in a month (from October to November) due to decline in supply because of lean season and high demand in markets, whereas prices of orange and apple have come down by around 20 per cent due to increase in supply because of harvest season of these fruits, according to the Market Watch.

Likewise, food prices of recently harvest summer crops like rice and other seasonal vegetables — cauliflower, cabbages and brinjal — are likely to decline in the next month, the monitor jointly published by the World Food Programme, Nepal (WFP), Department of Agriculture, Agribusiness Promotion and Marketing Development Directorate, Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries/Agro Enterprise Centre and Consumer's Interest Protection Forum projected.

However, lean season commodities like wheat flour and other vegetables will likely remain high until the next harvest.

The preliminary estimates of the 2012 summer crops showed 11.3 per cent and 8.3 per cent decline in paddy and maize production respectively compared to last year that will likely to contribute to the rise of food prices because of decline in total food availability compared to last year. "It will also affect the food security situation mainly in the hill and mountain districts," it added. "Food prices monitored in various markets across the country remained relatively stable in November from October due to recent harvest of summer crops and smooth operation of transport services."

The year-on-year inflation according to the central bank in October stood at 10.5 per cent, though price index of food and beverage stood at 9.1 per cent compared to 9.6 per cent over the same period last year.

However, supply situation across the country is so far normal due to an increased access to roads and trails in the hill and mountain markets leading to an increase of food supply in the hill and mountain markets. However, transport services will likely disrupt in the mountain markets like Manang and Mustang due to recent snowfall, thereby obstructing food supplies in these markets. "The situation needs to be monitored closely," it concluded.