Sugarcane farmers want higher price

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BIRATNAGAR: Sugarcane farmers here have been left stranded after the Nepal Sugar Producers association fixed the price of sugarcane for this year at Rs. 125 per quintal, Rs. 20 less than the earlier price.

Ironically, the Morang/Sunsari sugarcane farmers had been demanding since the past two months for a minimum price of Rs. 145 per quintal.

The actual cost of production excluding cutting and transportation falls at around Rs. 125 per quintal so selling sugarcane for the same price could put an additional economic burden on the farmers, it is stated.

There are 4,500 sugarcane farmers in Morang and Sunsari district and this year sugarcane has been cultivated in some 3000 bigaha of land.

Ahayahari Sharma, a sugarcane farmer since the past 60 years says the minimum price of sugarcane should be Rs. 160 per quintal. He is also the general secretary of the association.

Last year the two districts produced 700,000 quintal of sugarcane while the production this year is expected to rise to around 1,000,000 quintal, says the association.

Meanwhile, the association has decided to run various programmes in protest of the price decline.

Bhaktapur Chamber meet ends

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BHAKTAPUR: The l5th annual general meeting of Bhaktapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry concluded Friday.

On the occasion, chairman of the chamber Krishna Prasad Tamrakar said that the chamber had adopted a policy of promoting commercial farming, sustainable tourism development and export oriented handicraft development for the sake of the economic development of the district.

General secretary of the chamber Uttam Prasad Baidhya presented an annual report.

Treasurer Mohan Prasad Tamrakar presented a budget estimate of Rs 2,34l,000 for fiscal year 2002/3.

Weight tamperers fined

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KATHMANDU: A monitoring team under the convenorship of the Commerce Department has imposed fines of Rs 200 to 2,000 on meat sellers found tampering with weights and measures, slaughering injured animals and fowl for meat, using unauthorised weighing apparatus and weights, selling stale and decomposing meat, and not maintianing hygeinic standards.

Those fined include Surkhid Adam, Khichapokhari, Bharat Khanal, Kalimati, Baneshwar Fresh Meat Shop, Ganesh Cold Store, Patandhoka, Solti Cold Store Pulchowk, Wakil Akhtar, Bagbazar, New Manakamana Harati Cold Store, Baneshwar, New Fresh Cold Store Samakhushi, Pulchowk Cold Store, Pulchowk, Ashok Tandukar, Kupandol, Gulam Rasul, Khichapokhari, Parameshwar Shaha, Maitidevi, Shyam Meat Shop, Pulchowk, New Kantkur Suppliers Naeneshwar, Krishna Khadgi Kupudliolol, Tirtha Shahi Dhaughal, Naresh Shahi Thamel, Chiniyalall Khadgi Nayabazar, Krishna Khadgi Nayabazar, Kiran Khadgi Nayabazar, Anjju Shahi Kupundol, Rajesh Shakgi Anamnagar, Kishor Kahdgi, Urmilal Shhai Naheshwar, Jeeban Ah Shahi Anamnagar, Manillshahi Samakhushi, Rajeshs Raj Dalil Thamel and Shukraraj Khadgi Baneshwor.

The monitoring team included Representatives from the Standards and Weights Regional Office Kathmandu, Nepal Oil Corporation, Salt Trading , Pro Public and Consumer Forum Nepal.

Nepalese products popular in Finland

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Dec. 22: Nepalese handmade papers, other handicraft products and organic tea are increasingly becoming popularity in Northern Europe.

Lalupate Ltd., which has operated in Finland for nine years, recently opened a showroom "Studio Himalaya" at a new location in Helsinki.

Lalupate Ltd. deals in Nepalese products throughout the Scandinavian and the Baltic countries.

The new showroom is operating near the famous Nepalese restaurant - Everest and in close cooperation with the Nepal Tourism Board PR Representative of Finland Reijo Harkonen as well as the Himalayan Culture Association.

The Managing Director, Mrs. Ritta Reinila-Strommer, emphasises that ecological and ethical consideration are of utmost importance in the company's operations. Nepalese producers have to be able to prove these standards.

If there is no certainty with regard to the conservation of the environment, for example, collaboration and trade are not commenced.

"Studio Himalaya" is in cooperation with worldwide "Fair Trade" chain.

Fair Trade means a better deal for poor countries' producers. The producers are guaranteed a fair minimum price plus an additional Fair Trade premium to be used for social programmes. Typical Fair Trade producers include tea and coffee. Child labour is forbidden and environmental issues are taken into account. The produces also needs to be of high quality consistently.

"It is important to us that the Nepalese environment is conserved for the following generations too", says Mrs. Ritta Reinila-Strommer.

She also said that only producers with direct contact with purchaser are accepted. Lalupate Ltd. has close relationship with its producers in Nepal."

"The Lalupate Ltd. is also involved in humanitarian activities," she added.

A.G. Sherpa re-elected as CCIA president

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Dec 22: The 12th annual general meeting of the Central Carpet Industries Assocation (CCIA) has elected A. G Sherpa as its chairman.

The AGM has elected Madhusudan Shrestha and Lok Man Rokka as first and second vice president of the CCIA respectively. Similarly, Kapil Prasad Bajgain and Tchiring Lama have been elected as general secretary and treasurer respectively.

Other members of the new executive members of the board are Ang Babu Sherpa, Tchiring Sherpa, Dhansingh Sherpa, Gopal Krishna Joshi, Dhan Bahadur Shrestha, Balarma Sapkota, Samik Bikram Shah, Karma Lama, Lodo Lama and Namlang Tenzing.

Goods worth Rs 2.8 M seized in Morang, Sunsari

By Our Correspondent

BIRATNAGAR, Dec. 22: A revenue task force has seized goods worth about Rs. 2.8 million in Morang and Sunsari districts in east Nepal in the last four month. The task force, under the command of the Royal Nepalese Army, has been mobilized to control the smuggling of goods across the border with India.

According to the Custom office of Biratnagar, the goods seized include parts of motor cars and motorcycles, fertilizers, salt, cement, petroleum products, goats, substandard drugs, disposable syringes, sugar, bicycles and oil.

The goods seized in the four months from July-August to October have been submitted to the customs for auction.

Chief customs officer of the Biratnagar custom office Ramhari Aryal said that the illegal crossing of goods to India has come down heavily after the mobilisation of the special revenue task force.

In the last fiscal year, the Biratnagar customs office had collected Rs. 400 million as revenue, which was Rs. 100 million short of target. But this year the office has already collected Rs. 460 million, which is Rs. 10 million more than the target for the whole fiscal year.

Industrialisation must for development: Pradhan

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KATHMANDU: Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Mahesh Lal Pradhan inaugurated the llth annual general meeting of the Nepal-German Chamber of Commerce and Industries here yesterday.

On the occasion, Minister Pradhan spoke of the importance of industrialisation in the development of the economy.

He also spoke of the outstanding cooperation that Germany has extended in the economic progress and development of Nepal.

Referring to the place of the German market in Nepal's trade and industry, he said the government is working to restore peace and security and expedite national development.

Assistant Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Ravi Bhakta Shrestha lauded the cooperation extended by germany in the development of commerce and tourism in nepal and in infrastructural work.

German Ambassador to Nepal Rudiger Lemp spoke of the adverse impact of violence and destructive activities on the developmental efforts of the country.

GTZ team leader Jim Tomeko said Germany has been extending all possible cooperation in Nepal's development and would continue to do so in future.

Chamber acting chairman Rohini Thapaliya chaired the function at which fncci acting chairman binod bahadur shrestha and chamber vice chairman Gopal Sundar Lal Kachapati also expressed their views.
Likewise, Minister Pradhan has said that the government was focusing on the poor and ignorant people while moving ahead.

Inaugurating the 29th annual general meeting of the Nepal Petroleum Dealers Association here, he said that those governing the country for ten years had weakened the economic condition of the country and indulged in widespread corruption in development and construction works.

Alleging that the leaders of the political parties were looking for excuses at present, he said that the disorder, corruption and ill-governance for ten years had shattered industrial, commercial and economic sector of the country.

Minister Pradhan said that he was committed to prevent smuggling out, leakage and adulteration of the petroleum products.

Assistant Minister for Industry for Commerce and Supplies Jagat Bahadur Gurung alleged that those who had become the minister for industry, commerce and supplies during the last twelve years had sunk the nepal oil corporation.

Acting president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) Vinod Bahadur Shrestha called upon the government to completely enforce the Consumers Protection act 2048.

President of Nepal Chamber of Commerce Rajesh Kaji Shrestha and a host of other speakers expressed their views at the programme chaired by association president Hikmat Bahadur Mali.