The government on Friday opened a string of fair price shops offering daily essentials at subsidised prices for the benefit of festival shoppers. The 36 stores located across the country will be operated till November 13.

The Department of Supply Management and Protection of Consumers Interest established the stores in coordination with state-owned Nepal Food Corporation, Salt Trading

Corporation and Dairy Development Corporation with an eye on the upcoming festival season. Among the 36 outlets, nine stores and three mobile vans are located in the Kathmandu Valley.

Speaking at the inauguration programme, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Matrika Prasad Yadav said the government opened the fair price shops with the aim of maintaining price stability during the festival season when demand soars. Director general of the department Yogendra Gauchan said the fair price shops would sell rice and pulses at a 5-10 percent discount. Shoppers will be able to buy edible oil at a discount of Rs30 per litre and sugar at Rs57 per kg.

Shashi Kant Agrawal, president of the Sugar Producers Association, said sugar factories were selling sugar at Rs65 per kg including VAT. “Including various surcharges, the price should not exceed Rs75 per kg in the local market,” Agrawal said.

Nepal Food Corporation will sell groceries like sugar, salt, rice, pulse and buckwheat at a discount of Rs5-50 per kg. In addition, the government enterprise plans to sell 2,000 goats from its outlet at Thapathali from Ghatasthapana on October 10, the first day of the Dashain festival.

Dairy Development Corporation will sell ghee from the fair price shops at Rs850 per kg while the regular price is Rs900 per kg. It will also sell dairy products such as paneer, yoghurt, butter, cheese, ice cream and sweets at discounted prices. The discount offers will be available at its branches in Hetauda, Biratnagar, Janakpur, Butwal, Nepalgunj and Dhangadhi too.

The government opens fair price shops every year before the start of the festival season. In a bid to benefit a larger section of the population, the government has made arrangements to sell daily essentials at subsidised prices from private retail shops and cooperatives too.The department has started supplying subsidised edibles from state-owned companies to designated cooperatives. It has also begun collecting applications from retail stores wishing to sell the subsidised products. The department said it had developed a special mechanism to prevent possible irregularities by privately-run outlets.