Food prices double in last eight years
KATHMANDU, JULY 23:
The price of almost all highly consumed food items has doubled in Kathmandu Valley — Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur districts — in the last eight years despite the governments commitment to control price hike during the period.
Price of rice, maize, bitten rice have gone up around 100 per cent between the fiscal year 2005-06 and 2012-13 while vegetables price have increased above 200 per cent. Meat, fish and egg prices have also doubled during the period.
Food price has doubled due to weak monitoring and supply mechanism, said president of National Consumer Forum Prem Lal Maharjan. “Political uncertainty following April Movement 2006 had fueled price hike back then.” The successive governments have failed to control the price during the last eight years, he said.
According to the forum, the price of Mansuli rice has increased from Rs 22 kg to Rs 46 kg followed by Mota rice (from Rs 20 kg to Rs 42 kg) and Basmati (from Rs 30 kg to Rs 70 kg) in the last eight years.
The price of wheat witnessed little hike compared to rice. Wheat varieties Ata and Maida’s price jumped from Rs 20 kg to Rs 32 kg and from Rs 23 kg to Rs 36 kg respectively.
Price of rice has increased more than wheat due to consumption behaviour, said consumer rights activist Madhav Timilsina. “Rice eating population has been growing day by day,” he said, adding people who consumed maize as major food have been leaning toward rice. The price of maize has not witnessed major hike — from Rs 16 kg to Rs 28 kg — between the fiscal 2005-06 and 2012-13.
Chicken price has increased the most in meat category. Chicken price, which used to be Rs 100 kg in fiscal year 2005-06 was priced Rs 260 kg in last fiscal year. However, price of mutton and buff rose by 105 per cent, 120 per cent respectively.
The trend shows growing buff meat loving population in Kathmandu Valley. There is huge demand of buff meat, so its price has been skyrocketing in recent past, said Maharjan, adding that people seeking buff meat also search for cheap meal.
Mutton price in Kathmandu Valley is around Rs 700 kg and people have been hesitant to consume chicken due to series of bird flue outbreaks since 2012. About a dozen outbreaks have already been reported in the Valley and surroundings in the last two year.
Average price of vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, radish and carrot has more than doubled during the period. Cauliflower price has jumped from Rs 15 kg to Rs 60 kg while carrot price has gone up from Rs 25 kg to Rs 40 kg. Green vegetable price also rose by 200 per cent.
Govt reluctant to control price hike
Government has been reluctant to control the price hike. There are no effective plans and programmes mentioned in the budget to control price hike, said economist Mohan Man Saiju during an interaction today. “Though the government has increased budget in agriculture, there are no concrete plans to boost up country’s production. Therefore, price hike is unavoidable,” he said. He said that price hike could be controlled by correcting consumer behaviour. Former secretary at Ministry of Commerce and Supply Management Purushottam Ojha opined the same. He said that commercialisation of agriculture could help control price hike.
Source: THT
