A separate building has been constructed with the support of the Embassy of India for this purpose. The embassy has already handed over the building to NFC two months back that was constructed at a cost of Rs 50 million, according to Shankar Sapkota, Chief of the NFC's planning department and Spokesperson.

The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control has been so far checking the quality of food grains. The newly constructed food quality control laboratory at NFC would test the quality of fish, meat, bread and other food stuff after it gets the authorisation from the government.

Sapkota said that the laboratory would be managed and operated in line with the policy and guidelines of the Ministry of Supplies.

The NFC spokesperson also said that the Corporation has the objective of purchasing 276 thousand quintals of rice this year. He said they have so far purchased 70 thousand quintals of rice grains and the process for purchasing rice has just begun in the eastern parts of the country that will be completed by mid-March.

He said that 51 thousand quintals of rice grains would be acquired from Japan this year and they would be supplied to remote places of the country and where the grains are most in need.

(With inputs from Rastriya Samachar Samiti)