Farmers forced to sell paddy at lower prices
Summary
Farmers in Banke are being forced to sell paddy below the government-fixed support price because the Food Management and Trading Company has not started procurement on time. Traders in Nepalgunj, Khajura and Kohalpur are offering up to Rs. 1,000 less per quintal than the official rate.
Key Points
- Farmers in Banke say they are selling paddy below the minimum support price because government procurement has not begun on time.
- Traders are paying Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,000 less per quintal than the official rates set by the government.
- Farmers say they need cash during the festive season and want procurement to begin at the start of the harvesting period.
- The Food Management and Trading Company Limited says procurement has not started because its quota this year is only 10,000 quintals, half of last year’s allocation.
