KATHMANDU: Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) has supplied 4,300 quintals of rice to Mustang, Dolpa and Humla districts via Tibet this year. NFC managed to send rice in Upper Dolpa at a time of crisis, said Purna Shankar Basi, NFC’s Bagmati zonal manager.

About 3,500 quintals of rice allocated for Upper Dolpa in the fiscal year 2008-09 reached 22,000 people in the second week of Asar via Tibet. “It is insufficient but it will at least help them tackle the food crisis,” he said.

Usually, these districts start facing food crisis from June to November. Last year, NFC had sent 3,000 quintals of rice.

NFC supplied 300 quintals of rice in Upper Mustang — Lomangthang — and 500 quintals of rice in Humla. Supply via Tibet is cheaper than by air so NFC sent rice in Tinje of Dolpa district and Hilsa of Humla district in June and July. The rice sent to the three districts was donated by Japan.