Seasonal Vegetable Prices Soar, Cauliflower's Up by Over 400% Year-on-Year

Prices of seasonal vegetables that are usually cheapest at this time of year, including cauliflower, tomato, cabbage and radish, have surged sharply, according to data from the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market Development Committee.

A comparison of average prices on January 17, 2025, and January 17, 2026, based on the committee’s daily price list, shows a steep rise in the prices of these vegetables. This comes despite Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) data showing that the overall average price of vegetables in mid-November to mid-December fell by 8.54 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. Prices of a limited number of seasonal vegetables have risen significantly this season.

Cauliflower has seen the highest price increase. Over the past year, the price of locally produced cauliflower has jumped from Rs 20 per kg to Rs 102.50 per kg, an increase of 412.5 percent. The price of local “Jyapu” cauliflower rose from Rs 25 per kg to Rs 130 per kg, up by 420 percent. Similarly, the price of cauliflower produced in the Tarai climbed from Rs 17.67 per kg to Rs 92.50 per kg, marking a rise of 423.49 percent.

Tomato prices recorded the second-highest increase. Small tomatoes supplied from the Tarai, which sold for Rs 30 per kg on January 17 last year, are currently priced at Rs 86 per kg, an increase of about 186.66 percent.

The price of cabbage has risen by around 139.13 percent over the year, increasing from about Rs 23 per kg to Rs 55 per kg. Meanwhile, the price of red radish has increased from Rs 25 per kg to Rs 35 per kg, a rise of 40 percent.

WHY HAVE PRICES SURGED?

Binay Shrestha, information officer at the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market Development Committee, said prices have increased mainly due to a drop in supply. Typically, 60 to 70 metric tonnes of tomatoes enter the Kalimati market daily, but current arrivals have fallen to just 35 to 40 metric tonnes.

He said tomatoes are a staple in daily consumption, with a steady demand. “When demand remains high and supply weak, prices do not come down,” Shrestha said.

A review of annual data shows that cauliflower supply at Kalimati has declined by up to 57 percent, while radish supply has dropped by as much as 41 percent.

According to Shrestha, last season’s monsoon had a direct impact on vegetable production. “The tomatoes arriving in the market now were planted in July-August. Excessive rainfall in many areas during that period caused waterlogging and destroyed seedlings, the effect of which is being reflected in current prices,” he said.

Production from Tarai districts, particularly Sarlahi, has also been lower than expected. In addition, cold wave conditions have delayed the maturity of tomatoes and cauliflower, preventing adequate market supply. Shrestha added that some farmers may have reduced production this year after receiving low prices last season.

Farmers and traders echo this view. Ramnath Yadav, who supplies vegetables to Kalimati from Chitwan and Sarlahi, said cauliflower cultivation has declined this year in Chitwan and other Tarai districts. “Many farmers chose not to plant cauliflower this season after failing to get good prices last year,” he said.

CONSUMERS FEEL THE PINCH

Consumers say the unusual rise in prices of daily-consumption vegetables has made it harder to manage household expenses.

A trader from Koteshwar, who had come to Kalimati to buy vegetables, said customers are now actively searching for cheaper alternatives. “In previous years, cauliflower sold well in this season because it was affordable. This year, ordinary consumers are hardly in a position to buy cauliflower at all,” he said.