The cabinet meeting held recently took the decision to form Sugarcane and Sugar Development Board. Dr Hari Dahal, spokesperson at the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, told myrepublica.com that the cabinet meeting decided to form the board, six months after the MoAC submitted the proposal for establishing an independent body to boost sugarcane and sugar production in the country. [break]
The board will have representatives from MoAC, Finance Ministry, Nepal Agriculture Research Council, experts, different organization of sugarcane farmers and sugar producers.
“The cabinet decision has paved the way for the formation of the board. We will appoint the board members as soon as possible. We have hope that the supplies of sugar will be more systematized once the board is set up,” Dahal added.
The board has been mandated to recommend policy for boosting sugarcane production besides providing agriculture inputs and technical supports to the producers.
“It will coordinate with different agencies for research, development and promotion of sugarcane farming and sugar production and maintain proper relation between production, distribution and pricing of sugar,” said Dahal.
In the absence of independent agency to oversee sugarcane farming, sugar production and supplies, sugar prices have gone up alarmingly in the market due to cartel of sugar producers, who are benefiting from supply deficit of sugar from government entities.
The board will also analyze demand and supply situation in the market and suggest the government to solve problems that may arise in sugarcane farming and production and distribution of sugar in the country.
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