Kathmandu [Nepal], August 4 – Nepal has stepped up efforts to address concerns over cooking gas supplies after a high-level meeting concluded that the recent shortages reported in parts of the market were driven largely by panic buying rather than insufficient imports.
The discussion, chaired by Chief Secretary Govinda Bahadur Karki at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, reviewed the causes of the supply disruption and assessed the responsibilities of government agencie, gas companies and distributors in ensuring uninterrupted availability.
Gas entrepreneurs told the meeting that there was no actual shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), arguing that market rumours had prompted consumers to stockpile more cylinders than they required creating temporary distribution imbalances.
To stabilize supplies the meeting decided to strengthen coordination among the relevant ministries, departments, importers and distributors to make the gas supply and distribution system more efficient, regular and accessible.
Authorities also agreed to increase monthly LPG imports to more than 50,000 metric tons over the next three months in preparation for the upcoming festival season when household demand traditionally rises.
The government expects the additional imports and closer coordination with industry stakeholders to help prevent supply disruptions and reassure consumers while discouraging panic buying that could place unnecessary pressure on the market despite adequate overall supply.
