Over the past four months, many food price in Nepal have changed. Some are more expensive, while others are cheaper. The Nepal Retail Trade Association’s data (from Shrawan to Kartik) shows these mixed trends.
Retail vs wholesale price gap
Wholesalers say prices of many food products have gone down compared to four months ago. But customers say retail shops are still charging high rates. Even though wholesale prices dropped for items like rice, pulses, flour, and wheat, buyers say they haven’t seen these changes in local markets.
Items that became more expensive
| Food item | Price in Shrawan | Current price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mustard oil | Rs 325/liter | Rs 360/liter | +Rs 35 |
| Roasted mustard oil | Rs 410/liter | Rs 430/liter | +Rs 20 |
| Sunflower oil | Rs 240/liter | Rs 250/liter | +Rs 10 |
| Soybean oil | Rs 220/liter | Rs 225/liter | +Rs 5 |
| Taichin chiura (beaten rice) | Rs 170/kg | Rs 190/kg | +Rs 20 |
| Chickpea dal | Rs 160/kg | Rs 170/kg | +Rs 10 |
| Lentil (musuro dal) | Rs 165/kg | Rs 175/kg | +Rs 10 |
| Small chickpeas | Rs 140/kg | Rs 150/kg | +Rs 10 |
| White peas | Rs 130/kg | Rs 140/kg | +Rs 10 |
| Black gram (masyang) | Rs 160/kg | Rs 170/kg | +Rs 10 |
| Maize flour | Rs 80/kg | Rs 85/kg | +Rs 5 |
Items that became cheaper
| Food item | Price in Shrawan | Current price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumin | Rs 550/kg | Rs 515/kg | –Rs 35 |
| Carom seeds (jwano) | Rs 590/kg | Rs 575/kg | –Rs 15 |
| Kidney beans (rajma) | Rs 270/kg | Rs 250/kg | –Rs 20 |
| Mung beans | Rs 200/kg | Rs 190/kg | –Rs 10 |
| Dalda ghee | Rs 250/liter | Rs 240/liter | –Rs 10 |
Items with stable prices
| Food item | Current price | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Pokhareli rice (Trishuli) | Rs 120/kg | No change |
| Steam jeera masino rice | Rs 95/kg | No change |
| Steam sona rice | Rs 70/kg | No change |
| Long-grain basmati rice | Rs 170/kg | No change |
| Chili powder | Rs 600/kg | No change |
| Cumin powder | Rs 800/kg | No change |
| Coriander powder | Rs 300/kg | No change |
| Turmeric powder | Rs 450/kg | No change |
Market still uneven
Even with falling wholesale prices, retail rates remain high. Experts say this gap between wholesale and retail prices shows weak market monitoring and lack of transparency in Nepal’s food trade system.
