KATHMANDU, Sept 14: Nepal has requested India to lift restrictions imposed on the export of wheat, sugar and rice.
The request was made during a meeting held between Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Paudyal and his Indian counterpart Vinay Mohan Kwarta in New Delhi, India on Tuesday, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).
The request comes in the wake of people and businesspersons in Nepal calling for the government to request India to lift the restriction on these agro products. There are fears that the restriction on the export of these products would cause a sharp rise in the prices of these food items in Nepal.
Indian govt considering to lift ban on wheat and sugar export...
India has been imposing a ban on the export of sugar and wheat since June 1. This has hit the supply of these agro products in Nepal and has helped hike their prices. While the retail price of sugar has reached Rs 110 per kg, the price of wheat flour has increased by around Rs 10 per kg in the local market.
Similarly, India has imposed a 20 per cent duty on export of all varieties of rice, except basmati and parboiled rice, with effect from September 9. This is likely to cause a sharp increase in the price of rice—the main food item in Nepal.
According to a press statement issued by the MoFA, Foreign Secretary Paudyal also discussed with his Indian counterpart to ensure smooth supply of chemical fertilizers. “Recalling the outcome of high-level visits, both sides discussed seamless power trade under mutually beneficial arrangement,” said the press statement.
The two foreign secretaries also held discussions on issues related to boundary disputes. The two sides have agreed to complete the boundary works in remaining segments through established bilateral mechanisms.
Foreign Secretary Paudyal reached New Delhi at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Kwatra on Tuesday. The two Foreign Secretaries held bilateral meetings at the Hyderabad House, New Delhi.
They discussed multiple areas of cooperation between Nepal and India covering trade, transit, connectivity, infrastructure, power sector, irrigation and inundation, agriculture, investment, development cooperation, health sector cooperation, culture, and people to people relations, among others.
According to the MoFA, the two foreign secretaries discussed the ways and means to build on momentum generated by those visits. They also discussed cooperation in multilateral forums. They expressed satisfaction at the progress made in different areas including power sector, construction of transmission line, railway connectivity, construction of ICPs, motorable bridge and other important infrastructures. Early conclusion of the Transit Treaty including its Protocol and the Memorandum to the Protocol and expediting the review of the Treaty of Trade was also discussed during the meeting.
