<p>The Nepal government has requested India to facilitate the supply of paddy, rice and sugar, a senior official said here on Wednesday, as a precautionary measure to mitigate any possible food scarcity in the upcoming festive season.</p>.Nepal PM 'Prachanda' to visit US & China in September.<p> The request was made through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Indian authorities last week, Commerce and Supplies Ministry Joint Secretary Ram Chandra Tiwari said.</p>.<p>"Nepal has requested India to provide one million tonnes of paddy, 100,000 tonnes of rice, and 50,000 tonnes of sugar," he said.</p>.<p> Though there is no immediate shortage of rice and sugar in the market, there are rumours about its possible scarcity following India's decision to ban the export of non-basmati white rice to the international market. So as a precautionary measure, the Nepal government has asked India to supply these food items, Tiwari said.</p>.<p> There are also concerns that traders might resort to hoarding these goods, potentially driving up prices as the festive season approaches, market analysts opine.</p>.Nepal ready to supply tomatoes to India; seeks easier access to market.<p> Nepal's festive season, which occurs between October and November, could be at risk of experiencing elevated prices for rice and sugar if measures to ensure a steady supply are not effectively implemented, they say.</p>.<p> On July 20, the Indian government banned exports of non-basmati white rice to boost domestic supply and keep retail prices under check during the upcoming festive season. Non-basmati white rice constitutes about 25 per cent of total rice exported from the country.</p>.<p> Considering the Indian ban on non-basmati rice exports and the current weather phenomenon in Nepal, there may be a food crisis for a short period, say experts.</p>.<p> Nepal is heavily dependent on imported food, mostly from India.</p>.<p> According to a recent report in The Kathmandu Post newspaper, from April 2021 to March 22, Nepal imported 1.4 million tonnes of rice — 1.38 million tonnes of non-basmati and 19,000 tonnes of basmati rice — from India, the highest import on record.</p>.<p> Nepali traders say that immediately after India stopped the export of rice, retail prices jumped by NRs 200 to NRs 250 per 25-kg bag. They say that prices are expected to increase further, particularly during the festive season, the report said.</p>.<p> Nepal's request for foodgrains came as India is importing tomatoes from the Himalayan nation to arrest the spike in prices following heavy rainfall in key procuring centres in the country.</p>
<p>The Nepal government has requested India to facilitate the supply of paddy, rice and sugar, a senior official said here on Wednesday, as a precautionary measure to mitigate any possible food scarcity in the upcoming festive season.</p>.Nepal PM 'Prachanda' to visit US & China in September.<p> The request was made through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Indian authorities last week, Commerce and Supplies Ministry Joint Secretary Ram Chandra Tiwari said.</p>.<p>"Nepal has requested India to provide one million tonnes of paddy, 100,000 tonnes of rice, and 50,000 tonnes of sugar," he said.</p>.<p> Though there is no immediate shortage of rice and sugar in the market, there are rumours about its possible scarcity following India's decision to ban the export of non-basmati white rice to the international market. So as a precautionary measure, the Nepal government has asked India to supply these food items, Tiwari said.</p>.<p> There are also concerns that traders might resort to hoarding these goods, potentially driving up prices as the festive season approaches, market analysts opine.</p>.Nepal ready to supply tomatoes to India; seeks easier access to market.<p> Nepal's festive season, which occurs between October and November, could be at risk of experiencing elevated prices for rice and sugar if measures to ensure a steady supply are not effectively implemented, they say.</p>.<p> On July 20, the Indian government banned exports of non-basmati white rice to boost domestic supply and keep retail prices under check during the upcoming festive season. Non-basmati white rice constitutes about 25 per cent of total rice exported from the country.</p>.<p> Considering the Indian ban on non-basmati rice exports and the current weather phenomenon in Nepal, there may be a food crisis for a short period, say experts.</p>.<p> Nepal is heavily dependent on imported food, mostly from India.</p>.<p> According to a recent report in The Kathmandu Post newspaper, from April 2021 to March 22, Nepal imported 1.4 million tonnes of rice — 1.38 million tonnes of non-basmati and 19,000 tonnes of basmati rice — from India, the highest import on record.</p>.<p> Nepali traders say that immediately after India stopped the export of rice, retail prices jumped by NRs 200 to NRs 250 per 25-kg bag. They say that prices are expected to increase further, particularly during the festive season, the report said.</p>.<p> Nepal's request for foodgrains came as India is importing tomatoes from the Himalayan nation to arrest the spike in prices following heavy rainfall in key procuring centres in the country.</p>