There will be no shortage of salt, sugar and food items during upcoming festival season

The Nepal Weekly: What are the activities being launched by Salt Trading Corporation in the present context  ?

Urmila Shrestha: As in the past, this year also we are focusing on the supply of essential goods to the Nepalese consumers. As our country is prone to various types of natural disasters such as floods and landslides, we have already started collecting essential items for maintaining enough stocks. We will be opening subsidized outlets in different parts of the country starting from Asoj 1 (September 17) targeting the upcoming festival season.

TNW: What are the major items that the STC is going to maintain stock for the festivals?

Urmila: Mainly we will maintain stocks of salt, sugar, rice, lentils, edible oil etc. We will also offer festival discounts in the essential items including salt, sugar and rice for our consumers. We also do have sufficient stock of cooking Gas (LPG) for the festival season.

TNW: Is there any new item being added for the consumers during the festivals?

Urmila: This time we have added varieties of biscuits and cookies in our outlets. Besides, we have also resuming the supply of mustard oil, which was not available in our outlets for the past 4,5 years. We are continuing to supply apples produced in Jumla this time also as in the previous year.

TNW: Will there be shortage of sugar during Dashain and Tihar festivals like in the past ?

Urmila: Traders are also saying that there is enough stock of sugar in the market. Besides, we are also maintaining sufficient stock of sugar for the subsidized outlets so as to ensure smooth supply in the upcoming festivals.

TNW: People have raised concern that there will be shortage of food grains in the coming days as the Terai region witnessed a kind of drought in the monsoon season due to lack of enough downpour. How do you view this situation?

Urmila: Of course the Terai region witnessed drought like situation for some time. However, the region witnessed some rainfall lately giving some relief. Let’s hope the situation will improve in the days ahead. Any way we are also maintaining sufficient stock of food grains keeping in mind the situation.

TNW: Don’t you think that STC’s business will be affected with the latest decision of the government to allow import and supply of salt to private parties?

Urmila: It is the responsibility of the government to ensure smooth supply of essential commodities to the people either by itself or through its subsidiary agencies. We are following the decision taken by the cabinet to implement the supply of iodized salt across the country in a smooth manner. We are ensuring the supply of iodized salt across the country including the remote areas. By doing so we have been successfully preventing the disorder caused by iodine deficiency among the people. As you might notice that the iodine deficiency prevalent among the people have been eliminated across Nepal due to the campaign we have been launching in supplying iodized salt for the past 52 years.

TNW: STC being a private public partnership, you also have to take care of the interest of the shareholders. How is the profitability of STC at present and how it is taking care of the shareholders’ interest?

Urmila: Our profitability rate is moderate and we have been able to distribute dividends of our shareholders besides providing satisfactory services to the consumers and at the same time running various activities under the social corporate responsibility.

TNW: What type of problem STC is facing at this moment?

Urmila: Sometimes we face difficulty due to the unstable and inconsistent policies and regulations of the government. However, with the establishment of a strong and stable government some one and half years ago, we are at comfortable position now. The frequent change in bureaucrats and secretaries are mainly causing us inconvenience in operating our services. Let’s hope we would not face such type of problems in the coming days. Besides, our business is also affected by the change in price, policy, regulation and availability of essential items in the neighbouring countries as we largely depend on them for our essential supplies.

TNW: We have noticed that the great earthquake of 2015 had damaged the main buildings of the STC. Have you started the reconstruction of these structures?

Urmila: We are beginning the process of reconstruction of the buildings of the central office in Kalimati which were damaged by the earthquakes. We are planning to construct modern office buildings in palce of the older ones, by adopting earthquake proof technology. The STC board of directors is considering the idea for starting new construction to replace the damaged structures. We are working out in engineering design for the construction works and we will soon decide about allocation of necessary budget for the same.

TNW: DO you have any other message to the costumers ?

Urmila: Finally, I want to extend my best wishes to all Nepalis on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami, Deepawali, Chhath and the upcoming New Year as per Nepal Sambat calendar.