KATHMANDU: The Food Management and Trading Company is set to purchase 5,000 quintals of paddy from farmers in Dang this year. According to Shakti Ram Dangi, acting chief of the company’s Tulsipur branch, the procurement process has been initiated following instructions from the central office.
Dangi stated that preparations are underway, including identifying collection centers and finalizing the procurement process. The company is focusing on the Deukhuri region for the purchase. The company procured the same amount of paddy from Dang during the previous fiscal year.
The government sets a minimum support price annually to ensure fair returns for farmers. For the fiscal year 2083/84, the government has set the minimum support price for coarse paddy at Rs 3,660 per quintal and medium paddy at Rs 3,860 per quintal. In the previous fiscal year, the prices were Rs 3,463 for coarse and Rs 3,628 for medium paddy.
Despite these measures, farmers often face challenges due to delays in the government procurement process. Deepak Gharti, a farmer from Ghorahi Sub-metropolitan City-17, noted that when government procurement is delayed, farmers are often forced to sell their produce at prices lower than the government-set minimum support price.
