KATHMANDU, JUNE 19
The National Consumers Forum (NCF) has called for appropriate actions against unfair business practices that unjustifiably burden the public with high prices and contribute to the creation of an anarchic market.
In a letter submitted to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers today, the NCF has urged the government to uphold consumer rights and ensure proper marketisation of agricultural products for the benefit of both farmers and consumers.
The letter, signed by NCF President Prem Lal Shrestha, has highlighted the detrimental effects of the government's myopic policies and weak law enforcement, which has resulted in a chaotic market that has spiralled out of control, leading to unnatural price increases of consumer goods.
Maharjan, in his appeal to the government, has emphasised the need to address the situation where common consumers are being deceived due to the protection accorded to black market activities and middlemen by political parties.
He has further urged for appropriate punishment to be meted out to traders involved in unfair business practices.
Maharjan has expressed concern that certain unscrupulous businessmen and middlemen, motivated by political instability, were deliberately attempting to disrupt the market, causing the government to lose control over price regulation of daily consumer goods.
He criticised the ineffectiveness and negligence of government regulatory bodies, leaving them powerless in the face of these challenges.
"The ordinary farmers, who were unable to obtain fair prices for their products, have resorted to protests, such as spilling milk on the roads and burning sugarcane fields," he has stated on letter.
Maharjan cited the example of Baburam Chaudhary, a farmer forced to graze cattle in cabbage fields due to the inability to sell his cabbage. Furthermore, he highlighted an unethical incident where certain middlemen, masquerading as farmers, dumped 30,000 kilograms of goats on the streets of Kalimati.
Maharjan also referenced the budget of the fiscal year 2023-24, which introduced a non-feasible 13 per cent VAT on potatoes, onions, and imported vegetables, which has resulted in significant surge in these vegetables.
A version of this article appears in the print on June 20, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
