A discussion between Agriculture and Livestock Development Minister Ramnath Adhikari and Industry, Commerce and Supply Minister Damodar Bhandari after farmers did not get the price of paddy.
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Presenting the budget for the financial year 2082/83, the government announced that it will become self-sufficient in two years through Chait Dhan. To produce more 1.2 million tons of rice, Chaite rice cultivation promotion program plan has been announced in 22 districts of Terai and Inner Madhesh.
The support price of chaite paddy has also been fixed for the current financial year to encourage farmers. But the farmer's produce (chaite paddy) has not been sold. According to the data of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, farmers have yet to sell one and a half million tons of Chaite paddy. In this period, i.e. in 10 months of the current fiscal year, 35 and a half billion worth of paddy and rice has been imported. According to the data of the customs department, 20 million 19 million 16 thousand kilos of rice worth 15 billion 76 million 45 million rupees were imported in 10 months.
It seems that 4969 million 89 thousand kilos of rice worth 19 billion 773 million rupees have been imported. Among the imported rice, 18 lakh 50 thousand kilos worth 818.2 million rupees have been brought for seeds. Farmers say that this confirms that the government is intolerant towards farmers.
'On the one hand, the farmers' paddy has not been sold, on the other hand, the farmers have been completely discouraged by the import of billions of rupees,' Uddhav Adhikari, founder president of the Farmers' Federation, said, 'Though the government has fixed the minimum support price of Chaite paddy at 2,800 rupees 69 paise per quintal, the farmers have received only 1,400 rupees. The government does not buy itself. But if the farmers do not get the fixed price, who will bear the cost of the loss?'
After the farmers' rice was not sold, the Nepal Farmers' Federation and the All Nepal Farmers' Federation held a joint press conference to protest. In the press conference held last Sunday, they said that the farmers are suffering because of not getting the price of Chaite paddy. After fixing the support price, the farmers planted paddy with optimism. But the government did not fulfill its responsibility at the time of purchasing the produced rice. This has made the farmers frustrated and discouraged," said the statement issued by the two federations, "but the government has not paid attention to it. A great insult is being done to the labor of the farmers. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, chait paddy is cultivated in 120,000 hectares. The productivity of chait paddy is 5 tons per hectare. Annual production is 500,000 tons. But the product has not got the market, the price. "Agriculture should increase production, production has also been good. The government also fixed the price. Currently, the unsold situation should be bought by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply and the Food Management and Trade Company under the Ministry. We have not even been able to export," said Navaraj Timalsina, private secretary of the agriculture minister, "Agriculture has initiated the industry in this matter. Agriculture has offered to purchase rice from farmers immediately.'
Agriculture and Livestock Development Minister Ramnath Adhikari and Industry, Commerce and Supply Minister Damodar Bhandari held a discussion on Monday about the reasons why farmers are not getting fair prices. It is reported that the current status of rice import from India, food system and rice stock in trading companies, the status of rice in the food industry and the storage capacity of the farmers were discussed. In the
discussion, it has been decided to coordinate with the relevant agencies for the export of rice, chiura and bhujia, to take initiatives with the Ministry of Finance for purchasing rice through food and other issues. In the meeting, Agriculture Minister Adhikari said that regardless of the arrangement, the farmers should get a fair price for chaite paddy. Industry Minister Bhandari stressed that the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry, Finance and the National Planning Commission should sit together to solve the problem and decide the future strategy in this matter.
