KATHMANDU: National Trading Ltd (NTL) is bringing in five thousand tonnes of sugar and the shipment should arrive latest by Sunday.

According to NTL valley chief Gopal Ghimire, the shortage of sugar in the valley has been due to hoarding not just by retailers but also by households for fear that sugar may not be available.

“We have provided enough sugar, and even during the festivals we opened our various outlets and provided five kilos of sugar per person to all who needed to purchase it,” said Ghimire.

Sugar is being sold in the market at fluctuating prices ranging from Rs 60 to Rs 75 at many shops, while according to Ghimire sugar is meant to be

sold at Rs 53 per kilo. This rate has been fixed by the government but is not being adhered to by any of the retailers.

NTL is also looking into procuring other food products such as rice, oil, flour, pulses — to name a few. “We are planning to deal in basic food products as well and are also planning a package programme for families at basic rates

ranging from Rs 2500

to Rs 2700. Though the plan is still in the process, we are seriously looking into this package scheme,” added Ghimire.

Along with the food package deal NTL is also bringing in LPG within the next two months, and will make it available to the people. NTL deals in eight hundred items including industrial material and household items.

“We also deal in imported alcohol, and have every conceivable product under one roof. In the last two trade fairs, we generated cash up to almost Rs 22 million,” said Ghimire adding that buying goods from the NTL outlets is definitely cheaper than doing so in the local retail market. “We are also offering a 10 per cent discount on all our products for the next one month,” he added.