Officials, traders pledge smooth supply of consumer items, medicines

Kathmandu, Mar. 10:

The government and the private sector suppliers Tuesday said that there was no constraint in the supply of essential goods and medicines with their stock sufficient for at least three to five months.

Their assurance has come amidst the panic caused by the fear of spread of novel coronavirus (CIVID-19) that has claimed more than 4,000 lives across the world.

Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Baikuntha Aryal said that since there was enough stock of food, medicines as well as other commodities the panic was baseless.

"The country currently has more than 40,000 tonnes of rice. More will be imported in the coming days. There is sufficient stock of salt, sugar and oil with the government and private companies," he said while speaking at an interaction organised by the Nepal Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.

He said that the supply market could be managed with the joint efforts of the government and business community and urged the traders not to cater to the abnormal demands of the consumers.

"Especially the medical sector must be more aware about selling products to common people who without knowing the life and risks of various medicines are collecting medicines. Consumers, traders and the government must be conscious to maintain the smooth supply of essential goods and medicines," said Aryal.

“I know of a family that has stocked 15 LP gas cylinders, a full sack of salt and multiple sacks of rice. This tendency to store essential goods is counterproductive to the family economy and the market.”

He urged the entrepreneurs not to supply new cylinders to the market. "If you send new cylinders to the market, it will create problems for you as well since the cylinders won't come to the market and you won't have containers to fill the gas in," he warned.

Aryal said that the government was ready to facilitate the importers of medicines, masks and sanitisers. Similarly, the government is in communication with the Chinese government to bring in the containers stuck at the Kerung border. "At the same time, the medicine importers must not be worried about India's prohibition in export of medicines of 26 types. 

It can create some problems for a couple of months, but Nepali importers should obtain license from the Indian government," he said.

Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Population Yadav Prasad Koirala said that the government priority was to work in a way that the virus did not enter Nepal.

"All Nepali citizens returning from the countries with COVID-19 cases must be in isolation camps," he said, "Awareness campaigns have been intensified. Committees led by the local level chiefs are active in local levels. Such committees are also active in State and federal levels."

NCC President Rajesh Kazi Shrestha said that the private sector must be socially responsible in crisis like this and behave ethically in the market.

Food stock

Ajaya Parajuli of Association of Nepalese Rice, Oil and Pulses Industry said that they had the stock of food grains for about five months. He recommended the government to facilitate entrepreneurs in bank interest rates and taxes if there was a need to create stock for more.

"Domestic businesses and industries are closely working with the government to ensure smooth supply of food grains," he said.

Nepal Retailers Association's Pabitra Bajracharya said that the shortage of some essential goods in the market was an artificial one created by some selfish traders.

"People are hoarding food and other materials with some storing gas, salt, sugar and rice sufficient for more than two years. This is just madness," he said.

President of Wholesalers Association Devendra Bhakta Shrestha said that consumers should be educated to use less goods in crisis and more awareness campaign was needed.

Medicine and mask

The country has stock of medicines for at least four months. Former President of Association of Pharmaceutical Producers of Nepal Shankar Ghimire confirmed it and said that there were raw materials enough for producing medicines for next three months.

"Medicines for heart, sugar and blood pressure are in high demand due to rumours. Likewise, masks and sanitisers are enough while another mask factory is being set up in Birgunj," he said.

Medicine entrepreneurs suggested VAT discount on masks.

President of Nepal Chemists and Druggists Association Mrigendra Meher Shrestha asked the government to monitor the market to ensure that the consumers were getting the medicine at the Maximum Retail Price (MRP).

"If the consumers are charged more price than the MRP, they can call on 01-4269483. The government must also set the price and life of the masks at the earliest," he said.

Shrestha said that India's ban on various 26 medicines would not affect the supply immediately since the country had enough stock of those medicines. About 45 per cent of medicines are produced in Nepal.

Salt and sugar

The country will have the stock of 155,000 tonnes of salt including 22,500 tonnes in the transit.

Chief Executive Officer of Salt Trading Corporation Urmila Shrestha said that there was enough stock of sugar with the domestic producers and suppliers but some of them were hoarding it. 

However, The STC has 50,000 sacks of sugar while another 50,000 sacks are at Raxaul border and another 50,000 will arrive soon.

"I have personally asked the large retailers to convince the consumers about the amount of salt and sugar they need," Shrestha said. She also said that the STC had a good stock of newsprint and chemical fertilisers.

Petroleum products

While the country has stock of LP gas that could meet the demand, stakeholders have urged the consumers not to store many cylinders at home as it might cause accidents.

The demand of LP gas has increased by 15 per cent as compared to the previous months. Managing Director of the Nepal Oil Corporation Susheel Bhattarai said that the petroleum monopoly would monitor the market and punish those involved in illegal activities and black marketing of cooking gas.

President of LP Gas Industry Association Gokul Bhandari said government monitoring was needed to stop the black marketing of LP gas which grew amidst the rumours of short supply.

Nepal Gas Distributors Association's President Chandra Krishna Shrestha demanded reform in LP gas distribution and a dealer should distribute only one brand of cylinder.

"Consumers must not be allowed to buy and stock many cylinders. The distribution must be regulated. We don't have load shedding," he said.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 12 March 2020.