Nepal is facing an onion shortage after India imposed a 40 percent export duty on the commodity. Binay Shrestha, information officer of Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable Market, one of major and biggest vegetable and fruit markets in Kathmandu that provides fresh vegetables and fruits to the people of Kathmandu Valley: “We have 80 vendors that sell out onions but in the last two days, they are running out of the onion stock so we have wiped off the price list of onion because it is no longer available.”
There was a sharp rise in onion prices in Nepal following the imposition of the export duty by the Indian government. As Nepal imports almost all its onion requirements from India, the hefty export duty has created shortages in the domestic market.
Usually the Kalimati Fruit and Vegetable market in Kathmandu imported 100 tons of onions on average but with the imposition of the export duty, this number has dipped to 40 tons on Sunday and Monday. From Tuesday, the exporters have stopped importing the onion, said Shrestha.
