When Banepa chapter of the Salt Trading Corporation (STC) has been selling sugar at Rs 60 per kg and salt at Rs 16 per kg, local shopkeepers are selling the same items for Rs 80 per kg and 20 per kg respectively."Even when arbitrary price hike is troubling consumers, the administration has done nothing to address the problem," Daya Ram Mahat of Choukata vented his ire. "If the difference is of two or four rupees, we wouldn't mind. But the difference amounting to more than 20 rupees is too much," he added.
At present, STC has been selling sugar, salt and lentils at subsidized prices. "Apart from sugar, salt and lentils, we have not been able to sell additional food items due to the supply problems," said Jeevan Khanal, manager of STC. "We will continue selling those food items at subsidized rates till the Chhath festival," he added. According to him, they had also been selling pulses and cooking oil until the last week.
In a statement, the STC has requested consumers not to worry as it has salt and sugar in stock to go for another two months.
Khanal informed that the STC has been collecting up to Rs 300,000 per day by selling those food items.
According to him, the STC chapter of Banepa has managed to sell 5,066 quintals of salt and 18,681 quintals of sugar from mid-July to mid of September this year.
Kavre chapter of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) had enforced a uniform pricing system on member traders last year. But this year, the traders have been charging consumers aribtrarily.
"We have been busy managing the supply of petroleum products and cooking gas this year. So, we are not able to enforce uniform pricing system this year," said Sur Krishna Baidya, chairman of Kavre chapter of FNCCI.
Entrepreneurs of Banepa said they were forced to hike prices because their transportation expenditure has increased drastically. "Our delivery expenses used to be Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 until last year. However, we have to pay Rs 90,000 this year," said a local retailer.
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