Kathmandu, July 7

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD) is preparing to form a separate Price Fixation Commission (PFC) to set support price for major crops — sugarcane, paddy and wheat.

After receiving a large number of complaints from the farmers, the ministry is preparing to form a Price Fixation Commission, said Agriculture Minister Chakrapani Khanal.

“As the farmers are not receiving suitable price for their produce, the ministry has felt a need of separate commission that can sort out the issues of market price of major crops,” he said during the budget discussion meeting held at the National Assembly today.

Although the National Farmers’ Commission (NFC) already exists to raise the issues of farmers, the Price Fixation Commission is necessary to sort out the price-related issues, he added.

“NFC has been raising different issues of farmers that are related to fixing the price and support price of major corps.

However, the PFC will conduct in-depth studies so that all farmers are able to receive deserving price for their harvest,” Minister Khanal added.

He further said that in lack of farmers’ categorisation, it has been difficult for the ministry to fix the price as per their products.

“Once we complete the categorisation of farmers, we will form the PFC and based on that categorisation, PFC will help the ministry to set the product price and also to distribute the grants and subsidies to farmers,” he added.

As per him, all the works related to farmers’ categorisation and forming PFC will be completed within one year.

“With this, the problem of farmers regarding price will end,” he claimed.

Meanwhile, Minister Khanal also informed the lawmakers that the ministry is providing support price for sugarcane, paddy and wheat that will be continued in coming days as well for the welfare of farmers.

Furthermore, he said that the sugar mill operators have gradually been clearing the dues owed to sugarcane farmers in recent days. Thus, the issues of farmers are being addressed by the ministry, he claimed.