Kathmandu, Sept. 1 -- For Lalit Chand, buying onions has become an exercise in cutting back.

On Sunday, Chand bought a kilogram of onions for Rs140 in retail and immediately told his wife, Sushma, to use them sparingly.

"Last week, I bought a kilogram of onions for Rs100 from a local grocery store. Now it has reached Rs140. Every time I go to buy onions, the price has increased," said Chand, a resident of Mulpani, Kathmandu. "The shopkeeper says the wholesale price has increased, so the retail price has also gone up."

The price of onions has risen sharply in Nepal, with both tighter supplies from India and disruptions along the country's main supply route adding pressure to the market.

According to the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Ma...