News from Nepal

Villages in Jajarkot district have been facing major food crisis with the harvest season months away and old stock running out. Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) depots in the area have been shut for the past six months.

Despite a dozen villages in Jajarkot facing food shortage at the moment, it is unlikely that the problem will be resolved soon especially when the government agencies are not doing anything .According to NFC Jajarkot branch, 400 quintals of food grain is allotted to each depot and 5,500 quintals is allotted to the district headquarters.
He further informed that a tender has already been announced to transport the food grain to the shortage areas. The rice that normally costs Rs 50 per kg is sold at Rs 80 in the village. The contractors who transport the grains too sell the grains as they please, complain the locals.

Landslides in various places in the Chhinchu-Jajarkot road had obstructed the roads and transportation of the grains to the Salli Bazar in Khalanga section. Transportation has been obstructed for a month now e.g distributed as per requirement from the headquarters," said Aire, adding, "The shortage situation could remain till August but it will end when the maize season starts."

One of the main reasons for the shortage is the shutting down of a number of depots for more than six months. Another reason is the rice that was being distributed on a subsidized rate got over quickly.