KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 5

The government has said there is a stock of food grain that could sustain the demand for three months.

In today's meeting of the Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumers Interest Committee under the House of Representatives, Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply, Madhu Kumar Marasini, said the government has the stock of 170,802 quintals of food grains.

He mentioned, 'The stock of food grains of Food Management and Trade Company Limited and private sector can be sufficient for three months. A process to purchase new paddy has already been forwarded.'

Marasini further said, 'We have requested India to open the export of one million metric tonnes of paddy, 100,000 metric tonnes of rice and 50 quintals of sugar. An arrangement of supply of these goods will be made soon.'

Stating that the Ministry has forwarded a process to purchase new paddy not to allow shortage of food grains in coming days, he shared that an arrangement of marketization of food grains produced in mountainous region has been made to avoid food crisis.

'The Food Trade Company has made agreement with seven local levels of three districts of Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces to purchase indigenous crops under 'Be proud of indigenous crops' programme', viewed Marasini.

According to the Company, there is stock of 44,682 quintals of rice in the developed and 14,482 quintals in remote districts.

The Company has stock of 131,849 kilogrammes of rice and 4,632 quintals of paddy and 34,320 quintals of wheat have been imported under import quota from India.

Similarly, there is a stock of diesel that can sustain demand for eight days, petrol for five days, aviation fuel for 15 days and cooking gas for 15 days, he added. Salt Trading Corporation has 139,791 metric tonnes of iodine salt and 500metric tonnes of sugar.