Highway closures cut vegetable supply, push up prices; Dashain trade and gas transport hit

Continuous rainfall has blocked major highways connecting Kathmandu, sharply reducing vegetable supply to the Kalimati market and pushing up prices.

According to police, landslides have occurred at around seven locations along the Dhading section of the Prithvi Highway. The BP Highway and Kantilokpath are closed, while the Tribhuvan Rajpath is open only one-way for transporting essential goods.

Vegetable and fruit supply to Kalimati has dropped by more than 85 percent, limited to about 97,651 kg. Vegetables coming from outside the valley have been stuck on the road since Thursday night, while some remain in farmers' fields.

The wholesale price of green coriander has reached about Rs 450 per kg. Local cauliflower jumped from about Rs 97 to Rs 128 in a single day, and soybean pods rose from about Rs 115 to Rs 190. Large tomatoes are priced at about Rs 95 per kg.

According to Parashuram Dahal, an executive committee member of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Dashain trade has been affected as Chinese clothes and shoes brought via the Korala border point remain stuck on the road.

Gokul Bhandari, executive director of Nepal Gas, said about 500 cylinders filled in Chitwan are being sent to Kathmandu via the Tribhuvan Rajpath. He said bringing them from Chitwan in separate vehicles costs about Rs 200 extra in freight.