|
[media id=175 width=320 height=260]
|
|---|
Everything the Sunday market in Gomtu, Samtse, has to offer has become expensive. It is the rupee crunch in the country which has triggered the increase in the price of the commodities. People say vegetables have become as expensive as in Thimphu.
Gomtu does not have local vegetable vendors. On Sundays, the Indian vegetables vendors and traders from the neighboring towns of India cross over to the vegetable sheds in Gomtu. Only a handful of farmers from the nearby villages come to sell their produce once in a while.
The vegetable vendors have started charging extra 10% extra for every Rs. 100, which means, Nu.110 for every 100 INR.
“Now they charge Nu. 60-70 for a kilogram vegetable which used to cost Nu.20 a few months ago,” said a Gomtu resident, Tshering Dorji. It has become difficult for people have low income to survive, many said.
Some Indian vegetable vendors BBS spoke to said they have to sell commodities at increased rates as they have to pay an extra 10% when they exchange Bhutanese Ngultrum with Indian Rupees.
Vegetable vendors and traders from the neighboring towns of India such as Birpara, Ramjor, Falakata and Chamarchi come to Gomtu to sell vegetables and other commodities.
