KATHMANDU: Consumer activists have urged the government not to halt import of sugar citing that sugar mills were only pressurising the government for such decision with their vested interest.

Submitting a memorandum to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Monday, National Consumers' Forum (NCF) stated that sugar mills themselves were importing cheaper sugar and avoiding domestic sugar.

Moreover, Prem Lal Maharjan, president of NCF, informed that though sugar mills are claiming they have huge sugar stock, a probe carried out by NCF among sugar mills had shown that current stock of sugar in the country cannot meet upcoming festive demand.

“Halt in sugar import will also increase sugar price in Nepal amid decreasing international price and add financial pressure on consumers,” said Maharjan.