The Birgunj branch of the Food Management and Trading Company Limited has purchased 7,700 quintals of paddy as of Wednesday. According to branch chief Pankaj Jha, an average of 350 quintals of paddy is currently being purchased daily.

The branch has started purchasing rice from farmers through the token system since this year, and out of the 275 tokens distributed, rice has been purchased from 204 tokens by Wednesday. The branch has distributed tokens to farmers at the rate of 40 quintals of rice purchase. Jha said that if the farmers who have taken tokens as per the target do not bring rice, tokens have been distributed to an additional dozen farmers as an alternative arrangement. He said that if the rice does not come from the farmers who have received tokens as per the target, rice will be purchased from the farmers on the waiting list. Farmers have also brought rice to the branch from Parsa, Bara and Rautahat districts to sell. This year, the branch has received a quota of 10,000 quintals of rice purchase. It is likely that rice in this quantity will be purchased from the farmers who have taken tokens. The branch plans to purchase rice by the first week of Magh. This year too, the branch is purchasing only Sona Mansuli rice. The support price of Sona Mansuli paddy has been fixed by the federal government at Rs 3,628.33 per quintal, so the branch is also purchasing at the same price.