Himal Press 
Committee Chairman Abdul Khan (left).
KATHMANDU: The Industry, Commerce, Labor, and Consumer Interest Committee under the House of Representatives has recommended that the government impose a countervailing duty on imports of betel nuts.
Committee chair Abdul Khan said that the meeting held on Wednesday decided to instruct the government to implement this duty. “The committee has directed the government to impose a countervailing duty on betel nut imports and utilize the collected funds to provide grants to betel nut farmers,” he added.
The Safeguards, Anti-dumping, and Countervailing Act, 2019 empowers the government to impose a countervailing duty on imported goods that may harm domestic industries.
The committee has also urged the government to revise the Betel Nut Certificate of Origin Rules, 2011 and to adopt a policy for promoting betel nut farming in the upcoming periodic plan.
“Recognizing the increasing interest of farmers toward betel nut farming, we have instructed the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development to make policy decisions to promote betel nut farming in the upcoming 16th plan,” Khan said.
The meeting also decided to instruct the government to provide facilities and grants that are being provided to other farmers to betel nut farmers.
The issue of exporting raw betel nuts was discussed during the meeting but was later omitted from the minutes due to protests by some lawmakers.
