This year, the Rajapur office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Bardiya had set a target of purchasing 30,000 quintals of rice.
What you should know
The Rajapur office of the Food Management and Trading Company has purchased 30,000 quintals of rice as per this year's target.
This year, the Rajapur office of the Food Department in Bardiya had set a target of purchasing 30,000 quintals of rice.
About 80,000 quintals of rice are produced in the Rajapur municipality and Geruwa rural municipality of Bardiya, which are located in the rice zone. Farmers complain that since the government company has set a purchase quota of only 30,000 quintals, other rice is being sold to traders at a lower price.
Hari Chaudhary, a farmer from Rajapur-4, said that farmers will be forced to sell rice at a lower price unless the government increases the rice quota. This year, many farmers were unable to sell rice to the Food Department.
Keeping in mind the large number of farmers, the Food Department had implemented the coupon system this year. Kamal Pandey, the head of the Food Department's Rajapur office, said that 30,000 quintals of rice were purchased as per the quota set by the government.
The Rajapur office had purchased rice since last November. This year, the Food Department had established rice procurement depots in Gulariya, Shantibazaar and Jayajagar besides Rajapur. Even after the coupon system was implemented, the Rajapur Food Center stopped purchasing rice for a few days after the crowd became unbearable.
Farmers complain that the cumbersome provision has been made to require farmers to submit copies of ward recommendations, citizenship, and red papers to the sales center while selling rice. This year, the government has fixed the price of coarse rice at Rs 3,463.81 and fine rice at Rs 3,628.33.
