The Home Ministry has instructed district administration offices of all 77 districts to stop destruction of agricultural products and to make arrangements for access of the products to the market.
"Stopping transportation of local agricultural products and destroying them was seen. We have instructed the local administration to stop that and coordinate to take the products to the market," Communications Officer at the Home Ministry Umakanta Adhikari told Setopati.
The circular issued by the ministry has also instructed to punish those involved in obstructing transportation of agricultural products and destroying them. It has reminded that obstructing and destroying agricultural products can affect local economy and pointed that everyone has in important role in promotion of local products.
The Agriculture Ministry earlier on Wednesday had written to the Home Ministry to take action against those destroying agricultural products.
Agriculture Ministry Spokesperson Hari Bahadur KC told Setopati that the letter was written to the Home Ministry to take action against those obstructing production, transportation and sale of agricultural products amidst continuous obstruction despite repeated requests. "We have written to the Home Ministry as there has been obstruction in taking agricultural products of one district to another despite repeatedly urging to not obstruct transportation, and sale and distribution of agricultural products," he added.
"We request for facilitation as some local bodies have been banning entry of agricultural and livestock products from other places inside the country, and seizing the transported products and destroying them," the letter stated.
The ministry has pointed that such undesirable acts of destroying agricultural products don't just lead to wastage of the farmers' products but also hit their morale, reduces production, and can even create food crisis through obstruction in the supply chain of food.
Vegetables transported to Arghakhanchi from Kaplivastu were destroyed under instruction of the chief district officer (CDO) in Arghakhanchi on Sunday. Pokhara Metropolitan City has also banned vegetables from other places. Karnali Province has banned entry of all kinds of food products from other places.
