Nepal Food Corporation (NFC), Salt Trading Cooperation (STC), Dairy Development Cooperation (DDC) and National Trading Limited (NTL) in coordination with Department of Commerce and Supply Management (DoCSM) have proposed to open fair price shops at seven different places in the Kathmandu Valley and about a dozen places outside the Valley.
“We have already sent the proposal to the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS). Once it is approved, we will open fair price shops from September 17,” Hari Narayan Belbase, director at DoCSM. [break]
According to Belbase, fair price shops will be opened at Ram Shah Path, Teku, Koteshwar, Kalimati, Thapathali, Lagankhel and Surya Binayak in the Valley. “We, however, are yet to finalize the places to open fair shops outside the Valley,” he said.
The fair price shops will sell salt, sugar, rice and ghee, among others, at discounted rates.
“The main objective behind opening fair price shops is to intervene in the market and discourage retailers from fixing prices of essential commodities arbitrarily,” Indra Sitaula, deputy general manager of NFC, told Republica.
According to Sitaula, NFC is planning to increase supply of goats in the Valley this year. “We are preparing to sell 3,400 goats this year, up from 3,000 sold last year as the demand for mutton his high due to bird-flu outbreaks,” he added.
NFC is giving discounts of Rs 5 per kg on sugar and Rs 2 per kg each on salt rice. Similarly, the Dairy Development Cooperation (DDC), which will also open fair price shops at its outlets, will provide discount of Rs 10 per kg on ghee.
Meanwhile, Deepak Subedi, spokesperson for MoCS, said the proposal to open fair price shops has been sent to the finance ministry. The finance ministry will soon forward the proposal to the cabinet for approval.
“The fair price shops will come into operation once the cabinet approves the proposal,” said Subedi.
The MoCS is also preparing to sell essential commodities in the Valley from seven vans. “These vans will serve customers we don´t have easy access to fair price shops,” according to Subedi.
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