KATHMANDU, Oct 29: Farmers are to get relief as the government has set the minimum support value of paddy grains in time this year. The government has already agreed to purchase paddy grains at set price through cooperatives. The government on May 15 set the price of small paddy grains (mota dhan) at Rs 2,735 per quintal and middle paddy grains (madhyam dhan) at Rs 2,885.
With the government’s decision, the door for resolving other problems facing farmers has opened, said acting secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Yogendra Kumar Karki at a dialogue with the theme of situation of the implementation of the support value of paddy grains and future roadmap organized here on Thursday by the Nepal Agricultural Journalist Association. “All can purchase paddy grains. But we have started buying it through cooperatives,” he said. The Ministry has devised a long-term plan to resolve problems of farmers relating to fertilizers, seeds, irrigation, the market and decent value for paddy grains, he informed.
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The ministry’s spokesperson and joint secretary Dr Hari Bahadur KC said the support value of paddy grains has been set, assessing other markets and the market at the border with neighboring countries and inflection and providing 20 percent profit of the total production cost of farmers.
Likewise, vice chair of the National Farmers’ Federation Panta Kaji Shrestha expressed doubt that farmers would not know about the government scheme and as a result, traders would take advantage of it. Chairperson of the Nepal Agriculture Cooperative Central Federation Limited, Khem Pathak complained that there has been a delay by the government in purchasing paddy grains from the farmers despite setting the support value in time. Director General of the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, Upendra Ray suggested that the authorities concerned maintain the quality of paddy grains while purchasing it.
