Govt sets MRP of daily goods

KATHMANDU, SEP 14 -

The government on Thursday fixed the maximum retail price (MRP) of 15 essential commodities to curb artificial price hikes and make the supply smooth ahead of the festive season. The goods whose prices were set include rice, pulses, legumes and flour.

Also, the government, after consultations with representatives from the Federation of Nepal Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Nepal Chamber of Commerce, wholesalers and retailers, decided to offer 2 percent discount on edible oil.

The maximum price for sugar and the discount on salt will be decided by Salt Trading Corporation (STC) after needful preparations, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies.

“The government-set MRP will come into implementation on Friday,” said Narayan Prasad Bidari, director general at the Department of Commerce and Supply Management. “If a trader is found charging higher, action will be taken as per the Black-marketing Act.”

Daily goods whose maximum prices are fixed include four types of rice, six types of lentils, three types of legumes and wheat flour. The prices were fixed based on the proposed pricing from traders and a market study carried out by the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies. The government-set MRP will also be a base for market monitoring, according to the department.

Retailers, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the government move. They sought more time for implementation. Pabitra Bajracharya, president of Nepal Retailers’ Association, said the government imposed the new pricing without keeping in mind the cost price of retailers. “The government must also fix the wholesale price if it is really serious to regulate the market,” he added.

To check illegal practice by wholesalers and big traders, the government plans to carry out market monitoring (including a representative from traders’ associations in the monitoring team). Bidari said the department would continue market monitoring, focusing on retailers, wholesalers, importers and stockists.

Retailers and consumer rights activities had long been saying that especially the big traders, wholesalers and stockists were involved in hiking prices artificially. Prices of major daily goods, including rice, sugar, edible oil and pulses, have increased unexpectedly over the last few months.

“It is good that now we have MRP fixed,” said Jyoti Baniya, general secretary of the Forum for Protection of Consumer Rights-Nepal. He, however, said the prices could be brought down further, accusing that the government and traders set the prices in a ‘dubious way’ without holding consultations with stakeholders concerned. Also, the maximum prices set are far higher than what a farmer gets while selling goods in the market.

Source: The Kathmandu Post