Kailali — Farmers have not received a fair price for wheat this year. While they sold wheat at NPR 4,000 per quintal last year, they are now compelled to sell it at approximately NPR 200 less. Currently, wheat is being traded at around NPR 3,800 per quintal. In addition, recent rainfall and windstorms have caused damage to production.
Farmer Rupalal Chaudhary stated that despite putting in significant effort into cultivation, he has suffered due to the lack of a fair price for his produce. “We are forced to sell wheat at a lower price than last year. Even a slightly higher price would have been helpful. We face problems such as not receiving fertilizers and seeds on time, and despite hard work, we are unable to obtain a fair price,” he said.
Manjit Rawal of Tikapur noted that farmers have been unable to secure reasonable prices because the government has not set a support price for wheat in a timely manner. According to him, farmers continue to face difficulties both in obtaining fertilizers and seeds on time and in receiving fair prices during sale. The recent storms and rainfall have also reduced wheat production. He added that even at collection centers, farmers are not receiving fair prices, resulting in losses from all sides.
Meanwhile, Pahalman Saud of Tikapur reported purchasing four quintals of wheat at NPR 4,200 per quintal. He remarked that the current year’s price seems acceptable to him, as it is similar to last year’s rate.
Bhim Bahadur Thakulla of Bhim Food Grain Trading Center in Tikapur stated that high-quality (clean, unprocessed) wheat is being purchased at up to NPR 3,800 per quintal.
According to grain traders, wheat procured in Kailali is sold to flour mills in Nepalgunj and Dhangadhi at approximately NPR 4,000 per quintal. Thakulla added that he has so far sent 400 quintals of wheat to Nepalgunj for sale at this rate.
The government has not fixed a support price for wheat this year. In the absence of a designated support price, grain trading centers are determining purchase and sale rates in coordination with flour mills.
The Ministry of Agriculture has stated that it has completed a study to determine the support price and has already forwarded its proposal to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies.
