Kathmandu. Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Gita Chaudhary has brought the directives related to minimum support price and minimum purchase price fixation, 2082. According to the directive, farmers will now be able to know about the minimum support price (MSP) of major crops even before planting the crop.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has set minimum support price (MSP) of paddy (monsoon), maize, wheat and millet before planting crops.

In case of sugarcane, field survey and data collection would be carried out by September 15 and analysis report would be prepared by October 29. After that, the recommendation will be made by the technical committee on November 26 and the final recommendation will be submitted by November 13. Similarly, for wheat, the survey will be conducted by August 15, the report will be submitted by September 29, the technical recommendation will be given on October 22 and the final recommendation will be made on October 13.

Similarly, for Chaite paddy, yearly paddy, yearly maize and millet, study, analysis and recommendation process will be completed in different phases from November to April respectively. The government has brought a directive with such a schedule with the objective of determining the minimum support price before planting crops.

This arrangement is expected to make it easier for farmers to choose crops, help in formulating production plan and reduce market risk, said Minister Chaudhary. The Minister expressed the belief that investment and production in agriculture sector would increase as farmers would get assurance of appropriate price.

Minister Chaudhary brought the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of major crops like paddy, maize, wheat and millet and the directive on fixing minimum purchase price of sugarcane crops, 2082. The directive has been brought with the objective of ensuring fair price to the farmers and to encourage agricultural production.

The Minister said that it was desirable to fix the minimum support price and minimum purchase price of agricultural products to attract farmers to agriculture occupation through stability in the fluctuation in the price of agricultural products, minimizing price risk and ensuring minimum profit to the farmers.

The directive has been issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in exercise of the powers given by Section 47 (1) of the Right to Food and Food Sovereignty Act, 2075.