By Laxman Kafle

Kathmandu, Apr. 2: The government has announced 25 per cent subsidy on transportation of agro products to the market.
A meeting of the Council of Ministers took decision to ease the supply of agricultural products during the lockdown, said Ganga Acharya, under-secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
The government has enforced the nationwide lockdown from March 24 to prevent and control COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal.
“The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has issued the circular to the local governments to make arrangements for the transportation of agricultural products to the market by providing subsidy,” he said.
The government would provide such transportation subsidy for the supply of vegetables, milk, fruits and other cereals to the market.
As per the decision, the local governments should arrange for vehicles to transport the vegetables and other agro products, including milk, to the local market or the Kathmandu Valley, he told The Rising Nepal.
“The famers should coordinate with the representatives of the local units to supply their products if they are unable to arrange vehicles and supply of their products. For this, the federal government has already directed the local bodies to make proper arrangements for the farmers to sell their crops,” he said.
Stating that the government took the decision to support the farmers and make the supply system effective considering the unusual situation, he said that there was no specific term and condition to get the subsidy as the local bodies would provide the subsidy to the farmers.
“This decision will assure the market for the farmers and encourage them to harvest their crops during the period of lockdown. However, the enforcement of lockdown has created problem for the farmers to harvest the ripe crops and vegetables as they are not allowed to go outside their homes,” he said.
He said that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development had already coordinated with the local governments to facilitate the farmers to harvest their crops by adopting safety measures.
“We have already discussed with the Ministry of Home Affairs to allow the farmers to go to their fields to harvest the ripe crops. Farmers can do work at their farm, but they should maintain physical distance to be safe from the virus,” he said.
The farmers of various places expressed their grievances that they were unable to harvest ripe crops due to the lockdown as the police did not allow them to work in their farm, he said, adding that the local governments should coordinate with the local police administration and security agencies to facilitate the farmers.
Stating that this was a sensitive time to be safe from the virus, so people should be responsible themselves to keep physical distance, he said that the farmers should be allowed to work at their farm with their families.
There will be a shortage of vegetables, fruits, cereals and milk in the market, especially in urban areas if the transportation of those goods gets tightened and the farmers are restricted from going outside their homes.
He said that supply of vegetables and other crops to the local market and Kathmandu Valley was not affected as the government had allowed vehicles which are supplying essential goods to the market.
Acharya said that the ministry had directed the local governments not to halt the distribution of seeds, agricultural inputs and other facilities in the name of lockdown.