Kathmandu, Sept. 18 -- Onion prices continued to shoot skyward on Thursday even though government inspection teams prowled the markets to catch price gougers.

The popular vegetable began flying off store shelves after India issued a ban on its exports on Monday, triggering a jump in prices. Nepal imports almost all of its onions from the southern neighbour.

Fearing that traders would hoard onions to create an artificial shortage, the Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection started keeping a close watch on the city's vegetable bazaars.

Industry Minister Lekh Raj Bhatta joined an inspection team and checked a few markets in the Kathmandu Valley himself.

According to consumer rights activists, the artificial price hike a...