Farmers queue overnight to sell paddy as crowds surge at government procurement centers

Kailali: Farmers in Kailali are queuing day and night to sell their paddy at government procurement centers as long delays and limited capacity have slowed the buying process.

Swaroop Chaudhary of Ghodaghodi Municipality-3 reached Bhajani early on Saturday morning to sell his paddy but could not get his turn that day. It took him four days to finally sell his produce. Similarly, Rajkumar Chaudhary of Bhajani-4 also waited four days to complete his sale.

Farmers were initially enthusiastic to sell their paddy at the government’s fixed support price, but the excitement has turned into frustration as queues grow longer and processing remains slow. Some farmers return home empty-handed after waiting all day, while others spend the night guarding their paddy to secure an early spot in line the next morning.

Bishnu Chaudhary, a farmer from Ghodaghodi, said, “It has never been this difficult to sell paddy. Even after standing in line from morning to evening, your turn doesn’t come. At night, you have to stay to protect your paddy.”

The government has fixed the support price of coarse paddy at Rs. 3,463 per quintal this year. Since private traders are offering lower rates, farmers are opting to sell through government channels.

Although the notice to start paddy procurement in Kailali was issued for Kartik 11, the process began on Kartik 16 due to unfavorable weather conditions. Bhim Bahadur Budha, an employee at the Bhajani Procurement Sub-Center, said paddy is being purchased at the rate of 50 quintals per farmer. He cited a lack of infrastructure as the main reason for the delay, adding, “Currently, only one section is operational for procurement. We are coordinating with the municipality to add another section to ease the farmers’ problems.”

In Kailali, where most people depend on agriculture, paddy is not just a crop but the foundation of livelihoods. The delay in selling rice has affected farmers financially, leaving them unable to prepare for the next planting season.

Ramita Chaudhary of Ghodaghodi said, “I took a loan for household expenses, expecting to repay it after selling rice. I have been waiting in line for two days, but my turn hasn’t come yet.”

The Food Management and Trading Company is operating 13 procurement centers across the rice production pockets of Nepal, including six in Kailali—Bhajani, Mohanpur, Satti, Gauriganga, Joshipur, and Tikapur—where long queues of farmers have formed.

The company has set a target to purchase 35,000 quintals of rice in Kailali, with 9,000 quintals already procured. Deepak Thapa, head of the Food Management and Trading Company Limited Sudurpaschim, said, “Farmers are crowding the centers because they are getting lower prices elsewhere.”

He added that limited manpower and resources have further complicated the process. “We brought in four employees from Achham, Bajura, Bajhang, and Kalikot. Since payments are being deposited directly into farmers’ accounts, one employee is dedicated to verifying documents, which has slowed procurement,” he said.

Each sub-center is currently staffed with two employees. Although the official purchasing hours are from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Thapa said the centers are operating from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm to accommodate the overwhelming number of farmers.