Vegetable price shoot through the roof
Consumers ask govt. to intervene
It is cheaper to eat meat than vegetables.
This is the most common comment at the vegetable market with vegetable price, especially beans and cauliflower, shooting through the roof.
A kilogram of beans cost as high as Nu 300 with the Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority (BAFRA) imposing a ban on the import of some vegetables from neighboring India. A kilogram of cauliflower cost Nu 250. The beans available at the vegetable market are from within the country.
The skyrocketing price is making vegetables dear for many. A housewife, Sonam Choki said that at the rate of increasing price, many Bhutanese would be deprived of vegetables. “With Nu 1,000 we can buy hardly a bagful of vegetables,” she said. “There is no control on the price of essential goods like vegetables.”
Another shopper at the Centenary Farmer’s market (CFM) said that the uncontrolled price is affecting the middle and low-income group. “Our decision makers are not feeling the pinch,” he said. “It is the common people like us who are the worst affected.”
Many said that Bhutanese vendors are taking advantage of the ban. “If there is a ban on certain essential commodity, they (the government) should control price,” she said. “It is not fair to leave it to market forces when we talk about vegetables.”
Sangay Dema, another housewife said price of vegetables should be fixed as people like her are affected. “I think they are making 200 percent profit taking advantage of the shortage,” she said. At hotel Tashi, in the heart of the capital, the purchasing officer, Tshering Penjor, has stricken out beans from the menu. “Its too expensive,” he said. “Customers wouldn’t understand if we charge higher price for our food,” he said.
BAFRA banned import of vegetables like beans, cauliflower and chili from India since July this year.
Consumers ask govt. to intervene
It is cheaper to eat meat than vegetables.
This is the most common comment at the vegetable market with vegetable price, especially beans and cauliflower, shooting through the roof.
A kilogram of beans cost as high as Nu 300 with the Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority (BAFRA) imposing a ban on the import of some vegetables from neighboring India. A kilogram of cauliflower cost Nu 250. The beans available at the vegetable market are from within the country.
The skyrocketing price is making vegetables dear for many. A housewife, Sonam Choki said that at the rate of increasing price, many Bhutanese would be deprived of vegetables. “With Nu 1,000 we can buy hardly a bagful of vegetables,” she said. “There is no control on the price of essential goods like vegetables.”
Another shopper at the Centenary Farmer’s market (CFM) said that the uncontrolled price is affecting the middle and low-income group. “Our decision makers are not feeling the pinch,” he said. “It is the common people like us who are the worst affected.”
Many said that Bhutanese vendors are taking advantage of the ban. “If there is a ban on certain essential commodity, they (the government) should control price,” she said. “It is not fair to leave it to market forces when we talk about vegetables.”
Sangay Dema, another housewife said price of vegetables should be fixed as people like her are affected. “I think they are making 200 percent profit taking advantage of the shortage,” she said. At hotel Tashi, in the heart of the capital, the purchasing officer, Tshering Penjor, has stricken out beans from the menu. “Its too expensive,” he said. “Customers wouldn’t understand if we charge higher price for our food,” he said.
BAFRA banned import of vegetables like beans, cauliflower and chili from India since July this year.
Comments
Post a Comment