April 26: Even though the government has given permission to food industries to operate during lockdown, the operators of such industries have expressed concerns regarding lack of conducive environment for running their business.

The stakeholders suggest that they may even have to shut down their industries if the government does not create a conducive environment for work.

Subodh Kumar Gupta, president of the Association of Nepalese Rice, Oil and Pulses Industries informed that the production capacity of the industries is declining day by day due to the inability to manage the daily essentials to run the industry.

At present, none of the food industries in the country are capable to operate in their full capacity. Gupta informed that 40 percent of the existing industries are operating with 30 percent of their actual capacity.

The production has almost declined by half compared to normal days.

“That’s why the government has to facilitate the industries, or else the industries would be closed,” Gupta said.

In most of the industries, about 60-70 per cent of the Nepali workers have returned home. Meanwhile, the workers from India who are unable to return home have stayed and are operating the industries. 

Likewise, industrialists complained that they are running out of raw materials along with essential resources for production. 

Avinash Bohara, a central member of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), said that the government has given permission for the operation of the food industry but operating the food industry alone is not enough. He suggested that other supporting industries like the ones that produce sacks, plastics and cartoons are also need to be run.