Traders from Nepal have been exporting large amounts of tomatoes to India after their neighbor eased quarantine requirements. Shipments from Nepal have helped to relieve an unusual shortage down south where tomato-starved Indians had been paying up to Rs400 for a kilo (€4.40) until last week.
Traders say shipments could reach the annual export figure in a few weeks the way warehouses are being emptied. In the last fiscal year, Nepal exported 1,094 tons of tomatoes. These exports have pushed up prices for Nepali customers who are already having a hard time due to relentless inflation.
India relaxed the quarantine process to permit easier access for Nepali tomatoes as heavy rain had disrupted domestic supply, sending retail prices soaring.
In a statement issued on Monday, Nepal’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development said that as of Sunday, Nepal had dispatched 30 tons of tomatoes to India through Kakarbhitta and Bhairahawa on the eastern and southern borders, respectively.
Source: kathmandupost.com