Farmers in Rupandehi forced to discard unsold vegetables due to market syndicate

Butwal. Farmers in Rupandehi have expressed their frustration as vegetables brought to the Lumbini Agricultural Produce Wholesale Market Pvt. Ltd. in Tilottama Municipality-5, Manigram, are rotting and being discarded due to a lack of buyers.

Vegetables brought from various districts for wholesale have perished due to the absence of customers. Farmers complain that produce such as cauliflower, radish, and cabbage remains unsold.

Farmers stated that vegetables are drying up and rotting because they are unable to sell them at the 'Butwal Agricultural Produce Wholesale Market Center' in Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City-6 and other local markets.

Farmers have accused traders of operating a syndicate in the market, preventing new farmers from selling their produce. They claim that poor market management and a lack of access have directly harmed them, leading to significant financial losses despite bringing their produce to the market.

Rita KC, President of the Nepal Farmers Federation, Lumbini Province, alleged that a traders' syndicate at the Butwal Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Market Center is causing problems for the distribution of domestic agricultural produce. According to her, it is distressing and concerning that Indian vegetables and fruits easily find a market while domestic produce is sidelined.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the delay in the re-tendering process of the Butwal Agricultural Produce Wholesale Market Center, she accused traders of occupying shutters designated for farmers. She also noted that vegetables brought from various districts are not finding space in the market.

According to KC, even when farmers attempt to sell their produce from vehicles in other markets after repeated requests for proper arrangements go unheeded, they face obstruction.

Stating that they have suffered losses worth millions of rupees due to the inability to sell their vegetables, farmers have questioned whether the local, provincial, or federal government will provide compensation.