After the farmers did not bring the rice to sell, the Birgunj branch of the Food Management and Trade Company Ltd. is going to purchase rice from the agricultural cooperatives. Pankaj Kumar Jha, head of the branch, said that there is an agreement for the purchase and sale of paddy with Vishwakarma Baba Krishi Sahakari Sanstha located in Mahagadhimai Municipality of Bara.
"We are going to purchase a maximum of 2,500 quintals of rice from this cooperative. The purchase of rice will start within this week," he said.
He said that discussions are also being held with cooperatives in Patervasugauli area of Parsa. The branch, which opened the purchase of paddy from November 20, has purchased only 2,273 quintals of paddy till Friday. This year Birgunj branch has got a quota of 42 thousand quintals of paddy purchase from the Centre. Out of the 42 thousand quintal quota, 32 thousand quintals of Sona Mansuli and 10 thousand quintals of cumin are the quotas for the purchase of fine rice.
Food has opened the purchase of cumin milled paddy at Rs 4,000 per quintal this year in Birganj, but the farmers have not yet brought cumin milled paddy to sell. The purchase price of this paddy has been determined by the local primary purchase committee headed by the chief district officer. The support price of Sona Mansuli paddy was fixed by the federal government at 3,580 rupees 62 paise per quintal.
This year, soon after the purchase of paddy started, the farmers were busy with the quinquennial Gadhimai Mela in Bara, and then the farmer's tractor was also busy with the cutting and sowing of wheat seeds, so the farmers did not bring rice to sell. The
branch opened the purchase of paddy this year 20 days earlier than last year. Food is buying Sona Mansuli paddy at 3,580 rupees 62 paise per quintal. Last year, farmers did not bring food to sell rice after receiving higher prices from the private sector.
