3 years ago
Spokesperson of Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Hari Bahadur KC, said that directive to purchase and manage paddy at the minimum support price provides for payment within 15 days of the sale of paddy.
Spokesperson KC said this while speaking at a dialogue program organized by the Association of Nepali Agricultural Journalists at the Ministry of Agriculture on Thursday.
Spokesperson KC said that the directive has been brought to guarantee the minimum support price fixed by the government to the farmers, to regulate the support price pattern and to ensure marketing.
Spokesperson KC said that the purpose of the directive is to maintain pricing, storage and market price stability before planting. Spokesperson KC also claimed that for the first time, cooperatives are being fully mobilized for the purchase of paddy.
If the project is successful, Nepal will enter a new era in agricultural production, price and marketing.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of Central Association of Nepal Agricultural Cooperatives Khem Bahadur Pathak said that they were ready to implement government's decision.
Pathak said that government representatives were ready to face the challenges in the quality of paddy, prices and storage of paddy, adding that government representatives should support the campaign. Pathak opined that government should fix the price of not only paddy but every commodity.
Pathak also demanded that cooperatives should get government land for storing and selling paddy and government should also address the organizations supporting the government's campaign through policies and programs.
Directive to purchase and manage paddy at the minimum support price has provided that farmers will be paid within 15 days of selling paddy. Arrangement has been made for cooperatives not to get subsidy until the money is paid to farmers.
Similarly, minimum support price of coarse paddy has been fixed at Rs 2,735 per quintal and medium paddy at Rs 2,885 per quintal for the current fiscal year.
Directive states that responsibility of storage, processing and sale of purchased paddy will be borne by the cooperative. Cooperatives that buy paddy from farmers will get a subsidy of Rs 112 per quintal from government.
