The state run food utility has received positive assurance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) -- Japan´s official aid agency -- to extend financial support to establish the lab for NFC.
“JICA is positive to provide financial support to establish the lab which is crucial to maintain quality of food commodities distributed by NFC,” Hari Narayan Shah, general manager of NFC, told myrepublica.com on Monday. “After the new lab is established, we will be able to conduct quality test of food commodities and we no longer have to depend on other agencies for such tests which take at least a week.”
NFC approached JICA for the assistance through the National Planning Commission.
At present, NFC is getting food commodities tested at Department of Food Technology and Quality Control. It has to wait for at least 15 days for complete testing process.
According to Shah, the modern lab is estimated to cost Rs 50 million. It will help NFC to test the quality of a variety of food commodities, including rice, refined flour, sugar, and edible oil.
“Once the lab is established, we will also be able to work as an authorized agency to certify the quality of food commodities for other organizations besides conducting regular test of the commodities we deal,” added Shah.
Shah said procurement of food commodities from private sector was becoming lengthy and tedious in the absence of lab. “Sometime traders don´t show interest to sell their commodities to us due to lengthy quality testing process before procurement,” Shah added.
Meanwhile, NFC has also started distributing edible oil to remote districts Jumla and Humla. NFC took the initiative to provide relief to people of those districts where prices of edible oil have been recorded up to three times higher than the price recorded in the capital.
“We have already distributed over 2,800 liters of edible oil in Humla alone in the last two weeks,” Shahs said.
NFC is distributing edible oil in Jumla and Humla at Rs 190 and Rs 250 per liter respectively. Private traders are selling edible oil in Jumla at Rs 220 and Humla at Rs 350 per liter.
Apart from Jumla and Humla, NFC is distributing edible oil in Pokhara, Rukum, Dang, Jhapa and Lahan. Shah said the locals had responded positively to the NFC´s decision of selling edible oil at lower rates.
Of the total 200,000 liter edible oil procured from the private sector, NFC has already distributed 120,000 liters. “We expect to sell remaining 80,000 liters in four months,” Shah added.
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