The garrison of Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) in Dhangadi, which is responsible for distribution of food in the far western region, has been exhausted leading to shortage of food supply in the region.

Employees at the garrison were quoted to have said that the stock has been exhausted because the purchasing committee quoted the price of rice lower than the market price. The committee headed by Chief District Officer (CDO) has fixed the price of the rice at Rs 1,425 per quintal which is less by Rs 75 per quintal in the market, resulting in the suppliers refusing to sell at the price.

A report by Annapurna Post daily says that the godown of Dhangadi, having storage capacity of 20 thousand quintals and that of Mohanpur of 40 thousand quintals have been empty for the past few weeks. After the exhaustion of the stock, the government has transported 66 quintals of rice from Mahendranagar, which it said was for the prison department.

The report quoted the regional head of the corporation as saying that there was demand of over 4,000 quintals of additional rice from Bajura district. The corporation has already sent 5,049 quintals to the district. The government’s quota for the district is 5,000 quintals. Demands from other district would arrive soon.

The officers say that the demand of rice from the region has increased due to decrease in production of paddy by some 15 percent. Agriculture Development Officer Khyal Sharma Poudel said that Kailali district produced only 145,026 metric tones of rice this year, 15 percent less than last year.

Hilly regions of mid-west and far west face critical shortage of rice before summer due to small scale production of rice. Large numbers of villagers leave for work in India in this season to avoid food shortage.