Sugar supplies assured for Tihar, but LPG shortages persist

As Tihar approaches, demand for food and other daily essentials is picking up, with households preparing sweets, sel roti and other festive dishes. Government agencies and traders say there will be no shortage of sugar, rice, pulses and cooking oil during the festival, although LPG shortages remain a concern. Sugar prices have been rising since April, with shortages reported in the market ahead of Dashain.

India had imposed a ban on sugar exports from May 13 to September 30, triggering a supply crunch that pushed retail prices in Nepal to as high as Rs160 per kilogram. The Salt Trading Corporation says it has sufficient stocks to prevent a repeat of the shortage during Tihar. Nepal’s monthly sugar demand stands at 20,000 to 25,000 tonnes, rising to around 30,000 tonnes during the festive season, including Dashain, Tihar and Chhath, according to the corporation.

Annual demand is estimated at about 300,000 tonnes. Domestic production accounts for roughly 200,000 tonnes, with the remaining 100,000 tonnes met through imports.