KATHMANDU, June 18: Nepal, once a celebrated rice exporter in South Asia, imported rice and paddy worth Rs 35.53 billion in just the first 10 months of the current fiscal year, despite repeated government pledges to achieve self-reliance in rice production.
According to the Department of Customs (DoC), Nepal imported 201,916 tons of rice worth Rs 15.76 billion and 496,989 tons of paddy worth Rs 19.77 billion, including 1,850 tons of paddy seeds costing Rs 818.20 million.
In the budget for FY 2025/26, the government once again promised self-sufficiency in rice. It announced targeted programs to boost spring paddy production by 1.2 million tons across 22 districts of Terai and Inner Madhesh, allocating Rs 330 million to the initiative.
Ironically, imports are rising at a time when local farmers are struggling to sell their harvest. At a press conference on Sunday, the National Farmers Group Federation Nepal, All-Nepal Farmers’ Federation, and All Nepal Peasants’ Federation raised concerns that market prices remain far below government-set minimum support prices.
Farmers say they’re forced to sell spring paddy for just Rs 1,400 per quintal—less than half the declared support price of Rs 2,869. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development reports that about 150,000 tons of spring paddy remain unsold.
Nepal produces around 500,000 tons of paddy annually, cultivated on 120,000 hectares, with an average yield of 5 tons per hectare.
In FY 2023/24, rice and paddy imports totalled Rs 21.34 billion, down by about Rs 13 billion from Rs 35.90 billion in FY 2022/23. Still, the latest figures show a sharp rebound in imports, raising fresh questions about policy effectiveness and market oversight.

People's News Monitoring Service