April 5: Entrepreneurs and industrialists have demanded that the government make the import of raw materials and transportation of commodities easily accessible during the lockdown period. 

Although the government has decided to ease production and supply of essential goods during the ongoing lockdown to prevent the spread of corona infection, entrepreneurs suggest that the supply of such commodities has not been as smooth as expected.

Despite the government’s commitment, the entrepreneurs are still facing problems to manage manpower, import raw materials, and to transport the manufactured goods to the market.

Subodh Kumar Gupta, president of Association of Nepalese Rice, Oil and Pulses, informed that most of the food industries are now dependent on the stocked raw material for production.

“Most of the industries are currently using the raw materials for production which they had stocked before,” he informed.

There has not been any supply of raw materials since the lockdown. Likewise, transportation of goods is also not easily accessible, he added. 

However, Gupta claimed that there would be no shortage of food at least for three months. The stock of raw and the finished products are enough to sustain the supply for at least three months, he added.