Nepal reports sugar stocks for Tihar, LPG shortage persists — Kathmandu Post
In Nepal, government agencies and traders have reported sufficient stocks of sugar, rice, pulses and vegetable oil ahead of the Tihar festival. At the same time, a shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) continues in the country, Kathmandu Post reports.
Sugar stocks and subsidised sales
According to the Salt Trading Corporation, Nepal's monthly demand for sugar is 20,000–25,000 tonnes, rising to around 30,000 tonnes during the Dashain, Tihar and Chhath festivals. Annual demand is estimated at 300,000 tonnes: about 200,000 tonnes are supplied by domestic production, while the remainder is imported.
The Salt Trading Corporation has around 11,700 tonnes of sugar and has purchased another 12,000 tonnes from local producers. The government set the corporation a deadline of October 20 to import 25,000 tonnes of sugar for the festive season, but it imported around 16,000 tonnes. Corporation representative Kumar Rajbanshi said stocks were sufficient for Tihar and that the deadline for further imports should be extended.
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Before the holidays, authorities opened 38 subsidised sales outlets across the country, where sugar is sold for 100 Nepalese rupees per kilogram. The state-owned Food Management and Trading Company Limited has around 1,250 tonnes of sugar in stock and sells it for 109 rupees per kilogram in Kathmandu and through outlets in other parts of the country. According to trade representatives, the regular price is around 110 rupees, although sugar imported outside state structures is sold for 120–135 rupees per kilogram.
LPG problems persist
The LPG shortage, which began in February, continues to affect consumers. Nepal LP Gas Industry Association President Diwan Chand linked the situation to reduced imports and warned that demand for gas would rise as temperatures fall because of more active use of heaters and water heaters.
Nepal Oil Corporation says import volumes for Tihar are sufficient, and shortages in certain areas result from delays in delivering cylinders to dealers. According to corporation representative Manoj Thakur, 149 and 137 gas tankers were loaded over the past two days, respectively.
