By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Feb.8: Jumla's Marsi rice, which the Food Management and Trading Company (FMTC) has started selling as a trial in Kathmandu, has attracted consumers.
According to Divisional Chief of Food Management and Trading Company Shreemani Raj Khanal, the flow of customers to purchase Marsi rice at the depot of the FMTC has been growing by the day.
He said that around 1,200 kgs of rice has been sold in 10 days since the beginning of sales through Nepal Food. The FMCT started selling Marsi rice from January 28 this year.
"There is a rush of consumers to buy Marsi rice for taste, so we never thought it will be sold like hot cakes. More than 100 kg of rice is being sold on average per day," he said.
On Sunday, as per Khanal, over 200 kilograms of rice was sold.
The rice can be purchased in one kg packaging from food outlets in Thapathali, Nakhkhu and Ramshahpath.
The retail price for the said product has been fixed at Rs. 225 per kg. He said that the price of Marsi rice being sold by the FMTC is cheaper than the market price as private traders are selling a kilogram of Marsi at above Rs. 250 per kilogram.
In an effort to diversify the domestic production, the company had bought 2,700 kilograms of rice from Jumla.
He said that the company was encouraged to buy more rice given the Valley denizen’s increasing fondness for Marsi rice. The company has also started a process to buy Marsi paddy following its unprecedented popularity.
According to Khanal, Jumla farmers are enthusiastic over the increasing demand, and are thus encouraged to grow more Marsi with the FMTC ensuring the market for their products.
Khanal said that they have been focusing on the publicity in the sale of Marsi and other local products of Karnali Province to protect the local farmers and grains.
He said that the FMTC has also been preparing to buy beans from Karnali Province including Jumla. The FMTC has been selling Karnali beans for the last few years but had been unable to sell adequately due to lack of marketing.