February 10: Farmers have felt a sense of relief this year with the rise in the price of paddy while the consumers are at the receiving end. The price of paddy has increased by Rs 300 per quintal compared to the previous year.    
As neighbouring India has imposed a quota on paddy export, the price of paddy in Nepal has increased along with the increase in price of paddy in India. India has fixed an export quota of 600,000 tons of paddy for Nepal in the current fiscal year    
With the increase in the price of paddy, Sona Mansuli variety of rice available at Rs 48 per kg now costs Rs 58 per kg while the price of Mansuli has reached Rs 64 from Rs 50 per kg.    
Farmers of Madhes province, including Parsa, a pocket area for paddy production, have been suffering due to low price but they have finally got some relief. Sitaram Prasad, a farmer of Lalparsa in Birgunj Ward No 30, says, "The price of paddy does not even meet the cost of production, but this time it has increased."    
Likewise, Kismatia Devi, a paddy farmer of Sabathwa-4, Parsa, however said although the new price is some relief, it is not enough.

Meanwhile, even though the farmers are happy with the increase in the price of paddy the consumers are at the receiving end. The price of rice has increased by Rs 15 to 25 per kg.    
Sarita Devi Kurmi of Birgunj Metropolis, Ward No 12 said the sudden increase in the price of rice has made daily expenses hard to meet.    
Central President of Nepal Rice, Oil and Pulses Industry Association, Subodh Gupta, says Nepal still depends on India to meet 50 to 60 percent demand for paddy.

 “Since India has increased the support price for paddy, it has led to an increase in the price of rice, which is mostly imported from India,” says Gupta. -- RSS