According to the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board, the supply of domestic oranges to the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal has dropped by about a half this year compared to last year. This dramatic decrease has come as a surprise for traders in Kalimati; the authorities have differing views on the dwindling supply.
Officials of the Ministry of Agricultural Development said that production has not declined, while authorities in Kalimati claim that the supply has halved due to decrease in production.
Farmers told Republica that production had gone down due to lack of irrigation, new pests and poor quality of available fertilizers. Kalimati orange traders said that a decrease in cultivation area and lack of rain was the main reason behind the drop.
However, according to the Ministry of Agricultural Development, decrease in production was not the reason behind drop in supply to Kathmandu valley. "There is no considerable decrease in production as far as I know. The supply in Kathmandu has decreased due to local consumption," said a Ministry spokesperson.
