Retail trade from the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market has been halted from Tuesday citing increasing risk of COVID-19 due to overcrowding.
According to the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market Development Board (KFVMDB), it has decided to close the retail trade of fruits and vegetables for the duration of the prohibitory order after a monitoring done by the District Administration Office, Kathmandu Tuesday morning.
As the pandemic of the second wave of coronavirus infection is growing day by day, the sale of vegetables, an essential commodity, has also been tightened.
The farmers’ market in Kalimati has been completely closed with effect from Tuesday, said Binaya Shrestha, information officer of the KFBMDB.
He said that the decision to close the retail business was taken after finding that the traffic was congested and the market was crowded. Similarly, all retail transactions in the wholesale market will be closed from Wednesday (May 12, 2021), he said.
Shrestha said that the preparations are being made to sell the vegetables only by packaging in the wholesale market of Kalimati as the risk is increasing.
Similarly, the Board has instructed that only two people should sit in a wholesale shop and do business only by maintaining social distance and abiding by health protocols. “Entry of motorcycles, bicycles and carts has been completely banned on the market premises. Large farmers can trade in the auction yard / holding yard by adopting health safety measures,” he said.
He urged the consumers not to visit the market to purchase small amounts of vegetables as there is high risk of COVID-19 transmission due to overcrowding. The supply of vegetables in the market is normal, he said, adding that around 500 tonnes of vegetables are arriving in Kalimati market daily.
Despite the prohibitory order, vegetables are being supplied regularly from different parts of the country, including Kavrepalanchowk, Dhading and Makwanpur, he informed.
He said that the price has come down due to declining demand for vegetables in the Kathmandu Valley.
The wholesale price of a kilo of bitter gourd is at Rs. 18, bottle gourd at Rs. 19, brinjal at Rs. 25, broccoli at Rs. 65, capsicum at Rs. 75, tomato at Rs. 21 and cucumber at Rs. 25.
Source : THE RISING NEAL,
