Nepal imports paddy and rice worth Rs 35.53 billion in 10 months
Despite pledges for self-reliance, Nepal imported Rs 35.53 billion worth of rice and paddy in the first 10 months of FY 2024/25. This includes 201,916 tons of rice and nearly 497,000 tons of paddy, even as farmers struggle to sell 150,000 tons of unsold Spring Paddy. Farmers are receiving just Rs 1,400/quintal despite a support price of Rs 2,869.
KATHMANDU, June 18: Nepal imported rice and paddy worth Rs 35.53 billion in the first 10 months of the current fiscal year, despite the government’s repeated promise to make the country self-reliant on rice production.
Records maintained by the Department of Customs (DoC) show that Nepal imported 201,916 tons of rice worth Rs 15.76 billion. Similarly, the agrarian country spent more than Rs 19.77 billion to purchase 496,989 tons of paddy from abroad. This included 1,850 tons of paddy seeds worth Rs 818.20 million.
Through the budget for the FY 2025/26, the government has announced plans to make the country self-reliant on rice and paddy. Also, the government has planned to run specific programs to promote an additional 1.2 million tons of Spring Paddy harvest in 22 districts of Terai and Inner Madhesh. For the purpose, the government has allocated a budget of Rs 330 million for the current fiscal year.
Nepal imported paddy, rice worth over Rs 33.6 billion in 11 mon…
At a time when farmers are complaining about being unable to sell their produce, the import of the essential food has been on a rise. By organizing a press meet on Sunday, two farmers alliances–National Farmers Group Federation Nepal and All Nepal Peasants’ Federation–expressed their grievances that they are not getting the appropriate prices for their produce despite the government fixing the minimum support prices for paddies.
Farmers informed that they are compelled to sell Spring Paddy at mere Rs 1,400 per quintal while the government has declared the minimum support price of the paddy at Rs 2,869 per quintal. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, farmers are having stocks of around 150,000 tons of the unsold Spring Paddy.
Nepal produces an average of 500,000 tons of paddies annually. The government records show that paddy is planted on 120,000 hectares of land, while the productivity stands at 5 tons per hectare.
In the FY 2023/24, imports of rice and paddy amounted to Rs 21.34 billion, compared to Rs 35.90 billion in the fiscal year 2022/23. The imports decreased by approximately Rs 13 billion in FY 2023/24 compared to the previous fiscal year.
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Source : My Republica
