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Kathmandu Wednesday November 08, 2000 Kartik 23, 2057.
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Nepal self-sufficient in
9 commodities
Post Report
KATHMANDU, Nov 7 - Department of Commerce
(DC) has identified Nepal to be self sufficient in nine of the 29 commodities identified
by the government as essential.
The department has perceived Nepal to be
self sufficient in flour, maize, mustard oil, potato, milk and milk products, meat, fish,
vegetables and fruits. The domestic production of flour exceeds the total national demand
by 353 thousand tons. Similarly, the surplus production of the identified commodities
stands at: maize 72, mustard oil 26, potato 9, milk and milk products 58, meat 13, fish 8,
vegetables 23 and fruits 20 (all figures in thousand tons).
Including the nine essential commodities,
the DC has also collected data on sugar, pulses, salt, onion and other pulses (grams and
grains).
The self-sufficiency in the nine items was
recognised after DC started preparing a preliminary database. In the first phase data
pertaining to 14 edible items were collected. This is the latest effort of DC to maintain
data relating to the demand, supply and the average consumption of essential commodities
in Nepal.
"Since the data, including the
demand/supply forecasts, relating to all the fourteen items have been taken from secondary
sources such as Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) and Agriculture Information Centre the
results can be relied upon," claimed Krishna Hari Baskota, Director General of DC,
while talking to The Kathmandu Post.
Data relating to the remaining 15 items,
including medicine, construction materials, fuel, fertilisers and stationery, among
others, is yet to be collected. And, Nepal's self reliance on these items would be
determined only in the near future, he said.
DC started collecting the data after the
Cabinet on July 10 decided to entrust the department with carrying out the
responsibilities of overlooking the demand/supply of necessary goods and maintaining and
display of price lists at all consumer outlets. The display of the price chart is
mandatory under the Consumer Protection Act, 1997.
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