KATHMANDU, Oct 7: Fair price shops, which sell everyday goods to festive shoppers at discounted rates, are doing brisk business.
Different government agencies like National Trading Ltd (NTL), Nepal Food Corporation (NFC), Salt Trading Corporation Ltd (STC) and Dairy Development Corporation (DDC) are providing attractive discounts on different varieties of products through the fair price shops.
The government has opened fair prices shops in different parts of the country targeting Dashain, Tihar and Chhath festivals. These shops are providing discounts on food stuffs, dairy products, electronic products and machinery items among others.
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The NTL is providing 2 percent discount on food stuffs, 40 percent on tools, 55 percent on water pumps, 50 percent on machinery items, 80 percent on spare parts, 30 percent on generators and 5 percent on electrical products.
“The footfall of consumers is increasing day by day. The demand for food stuffs is more compared to other products,” an attendant of the Teku-based fair price shop said. “Products like rice, sugar, salt, lentils, oil and ghee is high in demand.”
The attendant also said that price of stuffs in fair price shops is lower compared to other stores.
A customers buying stuffs at the Teku-based fair price shop said was happy to get discount on food products. “Such shops certainly help to reduce monopoly of traders in the market,” she said, requesting the government to give continuity to fair price shops even after the end of the festive season.
Customers can buy almost every product as per the demand. “However, we have fixed a limit on sugar and salt. One can buy only 6 kg of sugar 3 kg of salt at a time,” the attendant said.
The fair price shops, which opened on September 17, will close on November 7.
