Since India, which supplies 40% of the world's rice, banned non-basmati white rice exports last month, rice prices have increased by about 20% to 15-year highs. India's decision has decreased supplies from the international market by 10 million tons, or 20% of the globally traded volume.

While Nepal’s Commerce and Supplies Ministry Joint Secretary, Mr. Ram Chandra Tiwari has clarified clearly that there are no immediate scarcity of these commodities in the domestic markets of the country, the requests have been made in a precautionary move to address possible food shortage in the upcoming festive season due to hoarding by market players and traders.