Biratnagar, May 2:

Export of vanaspati ghee via Biratnagar Custom Office (BCO) to India has resumed after the Indian government extended the time period of ghee import by one-and-a-half months. The ghee entrepreneurs have not been able to export Vanaspati ghee on time due to frequent bandhs and strikes in Tarai. Over thousand metric tonnes of ghee were left stranded after the time limit of the export agreement with India expired on March 5.

Nandu Rathi, the proprietor of Pashupati Edible Oils Factory said that the export was halted due to the Tarai unrest.

The Indian government has agreed to allow the import of 6000 metric tonnes of vanaspati ghee from six vanaspati ghee factories of the eastern region within the duration of April 17 to June 5, the office that issues Certificate of Origin (CoO), Biratnagar said.

The Indian government has fixed quota of vanaspati ghee to be imported from Nepal annually as per the revised Indo-Nepal Trade Treaty. The vanaspati ghee produced in Nepal is exported to 23 states of India.

The time limit for the export of vanaspati ghee was extended because of the initiatives taken

by Federation of Nepal Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI), Nepal-India Chambers of Commerce and Industries (NICCI) and Nepal Vanaspati Ghee Producers’ Association (NVGPA).

The Indian government imports vanaspati ghee produced in Nepal through State Trading

Corporation (STC).

There are 16 vanaspati ghee factories in Nepal currently. The six vanaspati ghee factories of eastern region export around 35 thousand metric tonnes ghee to India while rest of the quota is exported by the remaining factories.

“The six ghee factories of eastern region have been exporting vanaspati ghee worth around seven billion rupees via Biratnagar customs point every year,” Tulsi Bhattarai, a custom officer said adding that export of ghee via this custom point had been halted for last two months. “The export has been resumed recently,” he informed.