Kathmandu, June 20
Dairy farmers have intensified their protest against the Dairy Development Corporation (DDC) due to unpaid dues, staging a sit-in near the DDC office in Lainchaur today. This follows a demonstration they held in front of the DDC office on Wednesday.
The protest persists after inconclusive discussions at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development on Wednesday. Minister Jwala Kumari Sah plans to escalate the issue by discussing it with the Finance Minister.
Farmers have been protesting because the government has failed to make payments for the past seven months of their dairy products, despite previous agreements. Amar Bahadur Kunwar, president of the Central Dairy Cooperative Association, reported that although a partial payment was made last April, the ongoing delay has created significant problems. According to Kunwar, farmers still owe over Rs 4 billion.
On Wednesday, farmers attempted to lock down the DDC office, prompting police intervention. The farmers have vowed to continue their agitation until their payments are settled.
