Today, farmers in Nepal organized a significant protest in front of the Dairy Development Corporation (DDC) in Lainchaur. Under the leadership of the Central Dairy Cooperative Union, the farmers have come forward with a strong demand for the payment of their dues for the milk they have sold over the past several months. This protest was spearheaded by Balakrishna Upreti, the Central Treasurer of the Union, who highlighted the grave financial distress the farmers are facing due to the prolonged delay in payments.
According to Upreti, the Dairy Development Corporation has not paid the farmers for their milk supplies for seven months. This delay has put farmers in a precarious financial situation, forcing them to take to the streets. The total amount owed to farmers across the country for milk sales is a staggering 7 billion rupees, out of which the Dairy Development Corporation alone accounts for 2.5 billion rupees. This immense backlog of unpaid dues has exacerbated the economic hardships for farmers, many of whom rely on timely payments to sustain their livelihoods and continue their agricultural activities.
The Acting General Manager and Information Officer of the Dairy Development Corporation, Rajendra Prasad Adhikari, responded to the farmers’ grievances by explaining that the delay in payments is primarily due to a surplus of unsold dairy products. Adhikari acknowledged the farmers’ plight and assured that the Corporation is actively seeking potential export markets to alleviate the financial bottleneck. He expressed optimism that the issue would be resolved within the next two months, aiming to expedite the payments to the farmers as soon as possible.
Farmers have demanded payment for their milk. Today, they protested in front of the Dairy Development Corporation in Lainchaur under the leadership of the Central Dairy Cooperative Union, demanding payment for the milk they sold.
Central Treasurer of the Union, Balakrishna Upreti, stated that the Dairy Development Corporation has yet to pay for seven months’ worth of milk, leading the farmers to protest. According to him, farmers across the country are owed nearly 7 billion rupees for milk sales. The Dairy Development Corporation alone owes 2.5 billion rupees.
Acting General Manager and Information Officer of the Corporation, Rajendra Prasad Adhikari, explained that the delay in payment is due to unsold dairy products.
‘We are exploring potential export markets to expedite payments to the farmers. The issue will be resolved within two months,’ he said. More than 40 farmers who went to the Corporation to demand payment were arrested by the police.