BANIYANI: Farmers of Jhapa district have been worried about not getting proper market for the paddy they produced. The demand for pre-monsoon paddy is discouraging, says Durga Prasad Thapa, a farmer from Kanchankawal rural municipality-2.    
The paddy is ripe in the field for harvest but the slump in the price has distressed farmers.    
They were selling the rice at Rs 1,050 to Rs 1,200 per maan (40 kilograms) some days back.    
Thapa, who is also a member of rice super zone coordination committee, shared that the government, which encourages production of paddy, should also manage sales and marketing of paddy.

The paddy production will increase this year, he said.    
Another farmer Toyanath Mishra from Kachankawal-3 said, "Although we sold 40 kgs of rice for Rs 1,200 in the beginning, the price has declined heavily now and is being traded for Rs 900 per 40 kgs. It is the peak time for harvesting and sale of paddy, but declining price is a cause of concern."    

Since the Chaite dhan or pre-monsoon paddy is not as dry as the normal rice, it is not practical for farmers to store them. So, the farmers have no option but to sell them immediately after threshing in the field.    
"Despite loss, we are bound to sell the Chaite dhan," Mishra shared his plight, adding that they are is not sold on time, they will decay.    
Earlier, on March 28, the government had decided to fix the minimum support price of Chaite dhan at Rs 2,707 per quintal. Such rice should not have more than 18 percent wetness.    
The farmers are worried because they are forced to sell the paddy at a price less than the minimum support price fixed by the government. -- RSS