March 6: A study conducted by a parliamentary panel has found that excessive amount of betel nuts have been imported into the country. The report prepared by a subcommittee formed to study policy provisions on the import of betel nuts from third countries has been submitted to the Sustainable Development and Good Governance Committee (SDGGC) of the National Assembly on Friday. The next meeting of the parliamentary committee will discuss about the report and issue directive to the government and other stakeholders, informed Ramesh Jung Rayamajhi, coordinator of the committee. 

During the investigation, it was found that betel nuts were imported much more than the actual demand. According to the state-owned national news agency RSS, Rayamajhi said that 25,000 metric tonnes of betel nuts were imported in the country when the demand for betel nuts from factories in Nepal was just 5,000 metric tonnes.    

Although the upper house committee had summoned the director general of the Department of Customs, some secretaries and the importers to discuss the matter in the meeting, they were absent, RSS said quoting Rayamajhi.    

The government allegedly allowed the import of more betel nuts than the demand under the influence of importers, said the report. The imported betel nuts would be exported to neighbouring India, he said.    

A report published by New Business Age on March 23 last year states that the government had allowed import of 25,000 metric tons of betel nuts, 5,000 metric tons of dates and 15,000 metric tons of black pepper in fiscal year 2020/21 under the quota system.

The government had earlier imposed a ban on import of most goods in April 2020 in a bid to prevent foreign currency from flowing out of the country during the crisis created by coronavirus pandemic. The government had put a complete ban on the import of black pepper, peas, dates, and betel nuts initially but later imposed quota system for the imports. Similarly, the government had also restricted the import of alcohol and other luxurious goods during the period.

The restriction on import of beetle nuts and other edible items were lifted in March 2021 after the situation turned normal. Interestingly, the ban on alcohol was lifted in September 2020 much before the ban on other items were removed.

It was not the first time that the government had imposed a ban on betel nuts though.

It may be noted that former Chief Commissioner of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority Lokman Singh Karki lost his temper during a press meet in 2014 when reporters asked him repeatedly to clarify reasons behind the unchecked smuggling of betel nuts and his involvement in it.

The reporters were curious to know why the ban on betel nuts was lifted after Karki was appointed CIAA chief. That incident in Biratnagar ultimately led to the downfall of Karki.