The problem of imbalanced distribution of imported Nepalese vanaspati has finally been sorted by the consumer affairs, food and public distribution ministry.
The government has decided to put a ban on imports of Nepalese vanaspati into the states of Delhi, West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkand and the north-east till March 5, 2003. It has also decided to work out the modalities for direct import of the commodity by the state-run Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC).
In a meeting held today and attended by the food and commerce ministries, the vanaspati industry apprised the government of the problems faced by the sector due to imports of the commodity from Nepal. They said that the Nepalese product was harming the domestic industry which was in the verge of closure.
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As against an allocated quota of 1,00,000 tonnes under the Indo-Nepal Bilateral Trade Treaty, India has already imported 1,52,000 tonnes of Nepalese vanaspati. While 1,00,000 tonnes have been smuggled, only 52,000 tonnes of vanaspati has reached India through legal routes, the industry says.
Sources told Business Standard,