Kathmandu, Oct. 18: Soaring prices of essential commodities, clothing and other consumer goods have made it increasingly difficult for people to manage their household budgets during Dashain and Tihar.
Rising fuel prices, higher transportation and production costs, expensive imports and growing festive demand have contributed to price increases across the market.
Besides, the prices of commodities have further increased in the market with the increasing demand of daily consumer goods, including rice, oil, lentils, vegetables, meat and fruits to clothes and leaving consumers hard pressed to manage budget for Dashain.
Supply chains disrupted by the Bhotekoshi flood on August 26 and subsequent rainfall in September have yet to return to normal, although supplies have gradually improved.
Consumers, however, continue to face higher prices, with some traders and middlemen reportedly taking advantage of supply constraints to increase prices.
Consumers said prices had been rising over the past year, making it increasingly difficult to afford festival expenses. Dashain is an occasion when many middle- and low-income families spend beyond their regular budgets, sometimes borrowing money to celebrate.
Essential goods become more expensive
Sandhya Pudasaini of Bhaisepati said the prices of essential commodities, including rice and edible oil, had increased significantly compared with last year. “I recently bought a 25-kg sack of the rice we regularly consume for Rs. 2,700, whereas it cost less than Rs. 2,500 almost a month ago,” she told The Rising Nepal.
She said prices of lentils and other household necessities had also risen considerably, adding to the financial burden during Dashain.
Amul Kazi Tuladhar, general secretary of the Nepal Retailers Association, said the prices of consumer goods, including rice and edible oil, had increased by 10 to 15 per cent over the past one to two months.
According to him, rice prices had risen by Rs. 15 to Rs. 20 per kg, depending on the variety, while edible oil had become around Rs. 30 per litre more expensive. Depending on the variety, edible oil now costs Rs. 250 to Rs. 340 per litre.
“Retailers sell goods at the maximum retail price (MRP), so we have little control over reducing or increasing prices. When we purchase goods from wholesalers, the MRP has already increased. Wholesalers tell us that the increases are due to import prices and transportation costs,” he said.
Tuladhar added that prices tended to rise during festivals as importers and wholesalers sought to benefit from increased demand.
Citing sugar as an example, he said its price had reached Rs. 160 per kg before the Salt Trading Corporation began supplying it to retailers at Rs. 105 per kg. Retailers then sold the sugar at Rs. 110 per kg, prompting suppliers to lower their prices. The example, he said, demonstrated that improved supplies could help bring prices down.
To provide relief to consumers, the Food Management and Trading Company Limited and the Salt Trading Corporation are selling essential commodities at discounted rates through their outlets across the country. They are offering discounts of Rs. 5 per kg or litre on products including rice, lentils, cooking oil, beans and sugar.
Vegetable prices have also increased in the Kathmandu Valley, adding to the expenses of households preparing for the festivals.
Garment prices surge by up to 20 per cent
Clothing has also become more expensive this year, adding to the financial pressure on festival shoppers.
Manoj Babu Shrestha, president of the Nepal National Traders’ Federation, said garment prices had increased by 15 to 20 per cent compared with last year, mainly due to the rise in the US dollar exchange rate and transportation costs.
However, he said the increase was not abnormal and that the federation had urged its members not to raise prices unreasonably.
According to Shrestha, transportation costs for goods imported from China through the Korala border have increased by 15 per cent compared with shipments previously routed through Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi.
Gayatri Banjara of Baneshwor said the prices of almost all clothing items had increased by Rs. 200 to Rs. 300 per piece compared with last year. The limited availability of new designs had also disappointed consumers.
Traders had told her that many garments imported from China were stranded in transit because of road blockage at various locations.
“I came to buy clothes for my children, but the prices have risen drastically,” she said, adding that she had been compelled to choose from the limited options available.
She spent around Rs. 15,000 on clothes and shoes for her two children.
Economist Dr. Chandra Mani Adhikari attributed the price increases to higher import, production and transportation costs, as well as supply shortages. He said disruptions caused by floods and landslides had reduced the availability of goods, creating opportunities for some traders to impose unjustified price increases.
Meat gets costlier
Meat is an important part of Dashain celebrations, particularly for non-vegetarian families. However, higher prices amid increased festive demand have made it more expensive for households to maintain their traditional meals.
Goat meat is selling for as much as Rs. 1,900 per kg this year, up from around Rs. 1,500 during last year's Dashain. Traders attribute the increase to higher prices of live goats, which are currently selling for Rs. 800 to Rs. 900 per kg, compared with Rs. 650 to Rs. 720 last year.
“Meat prices have reached the highest level ever recorded in the Kathmandu Valley,” said Hari Katuwal, a meat trader in Gatthaghar, adding that prices could rise further as demand increases after Astami.
Live chyangras are selling for Rs. 1,250 to Rs. 1,350 per kg, while mutton prices range from Rs. 1,600 to Rs. 1,800 per kg and could reach Rs. 2,000 during the peak festive period.
Katuwal said mutton prices had increased by around Rs. 400 per kg compared with last year, while farm-level prices of live goats had risen by Rs. 150 to Rs. 200 per kg.
He currently purchases live goats from farmers in Sindhupalchowk at Rs. 800 to Rs. 850 per kg, which directly affects retail meat prices.
No business, no enthusiasm among consumers
Disruptions at the northern border have further affected the availability of goods ahead of Dashain, leaving traders struggling to meet festive demand.
Following the closure of the Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani trade routes, hundreds of containers carrying goods from China have been stranded at border points, delaying the arrival of clothing and other festival-related products.
“Goods, including clothes intended for Dashain, have not arrived on time because the containers are stranded at the border. This has limited the availability of new products in the market and adversely affected business,” said Shrestha.
After the Rasuwagadhi border was closed following the Bhotekoshi flood on August 26, containers carrying goods to Nepal were diverted to Tatopani and Korala. However, the subsequent closure of the Tatopani border by the Chinese side disrupted transportation through that route as well. But only today, China has agreed to open it for three days.
Road damage at various locations along the Kaligandaki Corridor leading to Korala further hampered the movement of goods.
More than 600 containers carrying Dashain-related goods, including electronics, clothing, food items and fruits, have been stranded at Kerung. Shrestha said it was now impossible for these shipments to reach the market through the northern border before Dashain.
Traders dependent on Chinese imports have been forced to rely on existing stocks to meet festive demand, with little prospect of replenishing supplies in time. Although there is no outright shortage of garments, the limited variety has made it difficult for consumers to find products according to their preferences.
Business, already severely affected by the Gen Z movement last year, has deteriorated further, Shrestha said. Traders who invested substantial amounts in importing goods from China have suffered because their shipments have not reached the market in time.
“Traders have suffered losses because they have been unable to bring the goods they purchased to the market in time for Dashain.
They have also had to bear the interest costs on loans taken to import the goods while their investments remain tied up in unsold or stranded stock,” Shrestha said.
Economist Adhikari said that the declining purchasing power of consumers, caused by significant annual price hikes amid low-income growth, has weakened aggregate demand over the past few years, a trend that has continued this year.
The resulting decline in demand has had a cascading effect on the entire economy, from production to consumption, he said. Low demand even during the festival season could further affect economic activity, he added.
Low-income families face debt risks
Economist Dr. Adhikari said rising prices of food, clothing, transportation and other essentials were placing a disproportionate burden on middle- and low-income households, which spend a large share of their earnings on basic necessities.
According to Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), consumer price inflation rose to 6.34 per cent in mid-September 2026, up from 1.87 per cent a year earlier.
Food and beverage inflation stood at 7.54 per cent, while non-food and services inflation reached 5.69 per cent during the review period.
“The prices of all items, including meat, have surged. The current price increases are beyond what low-income people can afford. Low-income and daily-wage families, who look forward to Dashain to eat meat and other special dishes and purchase clothes, are among the most affected and disappointed,” he said.
Adhikari said many Nepalis spent more than 35 per cent of their annual expenditure during the roughly one-and-a-half months period covering Dashain, Tihar and Chhath.
The concentration of spending during this period, combined with rising prices, could force families to borrow money to meet even their basic needs.
“There is no practical way to reduce the consumption of food and the purchase of clothes significantly, even when prices rise so much. A huge portion of household budgets will be spent on these items, forcing families to borrow money for health and education,” he said.
He criticised the government for failing to control prices through adequate supplies and effective market monitoring, allowing some traders to make excessive profits.
Adhikari said effective market supervision, action against unfair
pricing and an adequate supply of essential goods were necessary to protect consumers, particularly those struggling to meet their basic needs during the festive season.
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