KATHMANDU: A cooperative in Banke district has begun purchasing 10,000 quintals of paddy from local farmers. The initiative by Sakar Krishi Sahakari Sanstha Limited provides relief to farmers after the government reduced its paddy procurement quota for the region by half.
Sakar Krishi Sahakari manager Jamansingh Oli stated that the cooperative has set prices based on paddy varieties to ensure fair returns for farmers. The cooperative is currently paying Rs 3,200 per quintal for fine paddy, Rs 2,850 for Radha-4 coarse paddy, and Rs 2,750 for hybrid varieties. The goal is to encourage commercial farming and provide farmers with a convenient local market for their produce.
The cooperative, based in Raptisonari-6, has over 8,000 farmer members. According to chairman Humashankar Oli, storage facilities have been arranged in Binouna, Raptisonari-5. To further support local processing and marketing, the cooperative has invested Rs 5.5 million in a modern rice mill that became operational this year.
The Food Management and Trading Company Limited has halved its procurement quota for Banke to 10,000 quintals this year. Krishna Bikram KC, president of the Banke chapter of the Farmers Federation, noted that the limited government quota has made it difficult for farmers to sell their harvest. While the cooperative’s intervention offers some respite, the federation has warned that farmers may protest if the government does not increase its procurement quota immediately.
