It has been about a week since the Bhutanese government has stopped the import of rice, cooking oil and pulses. Retailers have to buy from the Food Corporation of Bhutan Limited (FCBL) and other wholesale dealers in the country.

The government took this decision as a temporary measure because there was a huge stock of essentials to last at least for six months.

Along with FCBL, 16 wholesalers and large retailers had stocked the essentials. The wholesalers were also provided concessional working capital to stock up.

Sources said that the decision was not a formal directive and that it was rather an advice to manage the stocks in the country. The economic affairs ministry had advised not to import because there already was excess stock of rice, oil and pulses in the country.

FCBL’s CEO Naiten Wangchuk said the corporation was not importing the essentials.

https://kuenselonline.com/import-of-rice-cooking-oil-and-pulses-temporarily-stopped/