By Karuna Thapa
Kathmandu, April 7
The House of Representatives Committee on Industry, Commerce, and Labor and Consumer Affairs has ordered that betel nut imports be halted immediately. Following consultations with the Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, the Director-General of the Department of Industry and Commerce, the committee has directed that betel nut imports be stopped immediately.
Bimal Prasad Srivastav, the committee’s chairman, stated that they will be monitoring Dang, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj, and other districts and that the import authorization will be canceled immediately. ”We have been requesting that the import of prohibited items such as betel nut and pepper be stopped. Allowing the import of unnecessary commodities at a time when the country’s foreign exchange reserves are diminishing is unacceptable. ”Immediately stop importing betel nuts,” he said.
On March 10, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies published a notice in the
Gazette opening the import permit for betel nut, pepper, and other industrial goods. After the information was published in the Gazette, 44 applications for the import of items containing betel nut were filed with the Department of Industry. Director-General of the Department of Industry Raj Chandra Tiwari informed that so far 44 industries have sought permission to import betel nuts. The department had written to the Commerce Department requesting that six industries be allowed to import betel nuts.
The Department of Commerce, Supplies, and Consumer Protection has granted permission to Dabur Nepal Pvt., CG Foods Industries Pvt., CG Foods Enterprises Pvt., CG Foods (Nepal) Pvt., Yashoda Foods Pvt., and Dugad Spices and Food Pvt. based on industry communication. The commerce department has approved the import of betel nut, chili, and corn based on the recommendations of the industry department.
The legislators who took part in the debate said that betel nut is not necessary for the country. The tobacco business needs betel nut, according to committee members and MPs Prakash Rasaili, Snehi, Amritadevi Agrahari, and Dilkumari. During the discussion, Industry Secretary Arjun Prasad Pokhrel stated that the import was permitted based on the necessity after research was conducted based on the industry’s proposal.
