Him Shree and Pokhara Noodles are the two manufactures currently in operation in Pokhara Industrial Area. Among them, Pokhara Noodles is preparing to increase price by 10 to 15 percent with effect from third week of February. Baburam Panta, executive director of Pokhara Noodles, said their production cost had increased due to heave increments in price of raw materials. [break]
“We are preparing to raise prices by 10 to 15 percent price after estimating our expenses,” Panta said, adding, “We are compelled to increase price as it has became impossible to continue with the production without raising prices.” He further added that the company´s monthly expenditure had increased by 12 percent as compared to last year due to rise in prices of key raw materials.
The price of whole-wheat flour has increased to Rs 28 from Rs 20, while the price of palm oil has increased to Rs 74 per Rs 63 in the period. Whole-wheat flour and palm oil are the key raw materials for noodles industries.
“We are compelled to increase price of noodles as we are being unable to maintain our expenses after the price hike in raw materials,” Panta told myrepublica.com.
Pokhara Noodles manufactures Ramba, Jojo, Leader, Tara and Samaya among others noodle brands. The industry said that is has been producing instant noodles of around 3 billion in a month. It manufactures noodles worth around Rs 30 million.
Though another manufacturer Him Shree said that it wasn´t preparing for fresh price hike, it conceded that it was facing difficulty in meeting operational cost due to increment in prices of raw materials. “Though we don´t have immediate plans to hike price, we are facing difficulty due to rise in prices of key raw materials,” Anirudra Acharya, manager of Him Shree, told myrepublica.com. He, however, informed that Him Shree would raise prices after other manufacturers raise prices of their products.
According to industrialists, all noodles manufactures in the country are preparing to raise prices due to hike in prices of raw materials.
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