The shortage has dealt another blow to consumers who have been reeling under skyrocketing prices of daily commodities.
Housewives say they visit several shops but find no sugar. Shopkeepers express sadness that they have to send back customers empty-handed. Rama Khanal, a housewife of Maitidevi, said she has been unable to find sugar in the market, though she is ready to pay more.
A grocer of Tahachal, Arjun Adhikari, said his shop is running out of sugar, thus he has been sending back customers visiting his shop to buy sugar.
Consumer forums blame the sugar shortage on hoarding by traders to exert pressure on the government to raise the price and believe that the sugar shortage issue is artificial. "There is sugar in the market, but traders are hoarding it," said Jyoti Baniya, general secretary of the Consumer Rights Protection. Retailers on the other hand say they are also victims of the sugar shortage.
We have been unable to bring in sugar, said chairperson of the Retailers Trade Association Pabitra Bajracharya.
The government has been preparing to import 50,000 tons of sugar from India. "We are hoping that the shortage will ease once the sugar is brought in from India," said joint-secretary at the Ministry of Commerce, Ganesh Prasad Dhakal, assuring the consumers that there would be an adequate supply of sugar.
According to Dhakal, National Trading Limited will distribute the sugar being imported from India at a discounted rate of Rs. 53 per kg
No comments:
Post a Comment