Fuel shortages impacts Nepal production

New additions to the Nepal production base are facing difficulties as a fuel crisis in the country is impacting development work and delaying scheduled launches.

Two new facilities, which were planning to launch their products by February, have had to postpone plans due to a prolonged fuel shortage and supply the local market by increasing imports.

Bikash Sharma, coordinator of the Ghorahi Cement Factory, told Nepal Republic Media that its factory had been affected since last month: "We were using generator for the industry since there is no regular electricity supply…We can work round the clock if we have diesel in sufficient quantity. Now, it is difficult for us to operate for even eight hours.” Mr Sharma said possible disruptions to power supply could result in the factory having to be temporarily shut down. The plant targets a production of 120tpd of cement.

Meanwhile, officials of Sonapur Cement, have experienced similar problems with fuel shortages. Basu Pandey, director of Sonapur Cement, said: We are doing only the works that can be done without machines…As we have not brought our machines into operation owing to lack of diesel, many workers are sitting idle.”