KATHMANDU, Sept 1: The Food Management and Trading Company (FMTC) is purchasing 10,000 tons of rice, with the aim to maintain an adequate amount of the essential in buffer stock.

According to the company, it is investing Rs 430 million to purchase the aforementioned quantity of rice, expecting that it will meet the supply needs for at least the next four months. The public enterprise has planned to purchase additional quantities when the new harvest will come in December.

The government via the FMTC has been managing food supply along with maintaining price stability of the essentials in the domestic market. Likewise, the food purchased by the FMTC also helps maintain food security stock necessary for the SAARC Food Bank and also to supply to the remote districts that undergo perennial problems of food scarcity.

FMTC Deputy Director General Shreemani Khanal said they will keep the purchased food in stock at various depots across the country. The company has now 12,000 tons of rice in stock. According to Khanal, the public enterprise has targeted to purchase a total of 60,000 tons of rice in the current fiscal year.

Apart from rice, the FMTC has been maintaining the stock of legumes and other food grains while it is also purchasing edible oil from this year. For the purpose, the company has allocated Rs 4.09 billion in the current fiscal year, up from Rs 1.34 billion last year.     

Meanwhile, the FMTC is purchasing edibles, goats and mountain goats worth Rs 407.75 million for the upcoming Dashain and Tihar. The company plays an important role in stabilizing the price of food items during the festivals almost every year.

According to the company, it will be selling 1,400 units of mountain goats and 1,600 goats in total during the upcoming festivals. 

 
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