Government introduces pre-planting support price system for crops

Kathmandu: The Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Environment has introduced a system to fix the minimum support price of major food crops before they are planted.

The ministry said the arrangement has been implemented under the government’s 100-point governance reform programme through the issuance of the Guidelines on Determination of Minimum Support Price and Minimum Purchase Price.

Minister for Agriculture, Forest and Environment Geeta Chaudhary said the new system would enable farmers to make planting decisions based on production costs, expected income and market conditions.

She said that once the price is determined in advance, farmers can decide whether to cultivate a particular crop or opt for alternatives.

The ministry said the process of determining the support price for maize has also begun, while the proposal for the minimum purchase price of sugarcane for the next fiscal year will be submitted to the Cabinet.