Simkot begins purchasing local crops from farmers

By Rajan Rawat, Simkot, Nov. 28: Simkot Rural Municipality, the administrative centre of Humla, has begun purchasing traditional local crops from farmers this year. 

After the farmers harvested and sorted their produce, the municipality started buying grains directly from them to supply to the Food Management and Trading Company Limited.

Bachhu Rawat, a farmer from Ward No. 5 of the rural municipality, said she sold four quintals of beans to the municipality. She shared that bean production was good this year, allowing her to earn a fair price. 

She sold the beans at Rs. 200 per kilogram, earning a total of Rs. 80,000. Rawat said that delivering their traditional crops directly to the municipality and receiving payment easily has been convenient for farmers.

She added that she is also preparing to sell buckwheat and naked barley. 

According to Netra Bahadur Shahi, a technician at the agriculture section of Simkot Rural Municipality, the purchase of five varieties of traditional crops began this year. 

So far, 10 quintals of beans have been purchased, and the process of buying other local crops is also under way.

This year, the municipality is purchasing beans, proso millet, foxtail millet, buckwheat and naked barley. With this initiative, farmers no longer need to travel to the market to sell their traditional crops. 

The purchased grains will be sold to the Simkot branch of the Food Management and Trading Company Limited, with whom the municipality has already signed an agreement.