Kathmandu. The Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection has published the price analysis report for the month of Poush.

Clarifying that the data related to the market price is the price data, the Department has made public the details collected from five different offices. According to the department, there was a general fluctuation in the market price last December.

The report states that government institutions should be made capable of developing alternatives by maintaining price stability in the coming days and that the prices of vegetables, fruits and other food grains have fluctuated due to middlemen rather than the production price.

To discourage such tendencies, it is necessary to develop alternatives to trade such as corporations, cooperatives, business networks and partnerships. The Department has suggested to promote the production of goods, reduce the distribution levels, make the supply management effective and put an end to the tendency of middlemen to increase the price for price control.

Similarly, the study suggests ending syndicates and cartels, creating a fair competitive market and regularly monitoring the market. The study was carried out by the Department through its offices in Biratnagar, Birgunj, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj, Dhangadhi and Kathmandu with an objective of finding out the minimum and maximum price of foodstuffs and other essentials.

According to the department, the prices of Sona Mansuli, Steam Jeera, General Jeera and Mota Chamal have fluctuated in different cities. The price of Sona Mansuli rice decreased in December as compared to November, while the price of Basmati rice has increased while the price of other rice has fluctuated normally.

Similarly, the price of lentils has also increased. The price of beans has seen a general change while the price of beans has fluctuated moderately. While the average prices of vegetables and spices fluctuated moderately and there was a general change in potato, cauliflower and onion, there was a large fluctuation in spice food items such as ginger, tomato, garlic dried and dried chillies.

Abnormal fluctuations in the prices of apples, pomegranates and fruits have led to changes in the prices of fruits in different cities. The average price of fish, meat and eggs has changed marginally. The study found that the prices of goats, broilers, eggs and fish fluctuated moderately compared to different cities.

The study found that although there was a general change in the prices of fruits and vegetables, the prices of vegetables such as ghee, hybrid, cucumber hybrid, ghee, local cucumber and other vegetables changed between 109 to 160 percent.