Agriculture Bill 2083 Set for Parliament; DDC Dues to Be Cleared in 25 Days

18th August 2026, Kathmandu

Nepal’s Agriculture Minister Gita Chaudhary announced plans to register the Agriculture Bill 2083 in Parliament this fiscal year while promising to reduce DDC dairy farmer payment backlogs to 25 days by mid-September. Discover key updates on dairy import restrictions, stock inventory, and new export plans to China and the Gulf.

Agriculture Bill 2083 Set

Nepal’s Minister for Agriculture, Forests, and Environment, Gita Chaudhary, announced that the government is preparing to register the Agriculture Bill, 2083 in the Federal Parliament within the current fiscal year.

Addressing queries in the House of Representatives, Minister Chaudhary also pledged that the Dairy Development Corporation (DDC) will clear its long-pending arrears to dairy farmers, bringing down the payment backlog to 25 days by mid-September (late Bhadra).

The minister’s commitments came in response to questions raised by Member of Parliament (MP) Nishkal Rai regarding legal regulatory gaps in Nepal’s agricultural sector and systemic payment delays troubling dairy farmers.

Priority Focus on the Agriculture Bill, 2083

Responding to concerns that Nepal’s agrarian economy operates without a unified statutory frame, Minister Chaudhary confirmed that drafting for the Agriculture Bill, 2083 is in its final phase.

“The Agriculture Bill, 2083 has been forwarded to the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs for opinion and consent, with the target of tabling it in the Federal Parliament within this fiscal year,” Minister Chaudhary told parliamentarians. “This is the topmost priority for my ministry, and it is the first bill I have formally sent forward.”

Overcoming the DDC Financial Backlog

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Addressing the persistent delays in farmer payouts by the state-owned Dairy Development Corporation (DDC), Minister Chaudhary highlighted significant progress in lowering the processing timeline:

Historic vs. Current Timeline: Payment clearance periods that previously dragged on for up to 10 months have been brought down to 2–3 months.

Outstanding Balances: As of August 17 (Bhadra 1), DDC owes approximately NPR 350 million across 235 dairy cooperatives.

Recent Disbursals: Between May 3 and August 17, 2026, DDC disbursed NPR 600 million directly to dairy farmers.

Mid-September Goal: DDC is working to compress the remaining payment gap down to a maximum of 25 days by mid-September.

Import Restrictions and Stock Reserves

In response to a supplementary question by MP Nishkal Rai regarding the influx of imported dairy powder while domestic stockpiles sit idle, the minister clarified that the government has enacted strict legal bans on importing dairy products that are produced locally.

Acknowledging that weak administrative leadership, financial indiscipline, and high overhead costs drove DDC into operational losses, Minister Chaudhary announced that the ministry has issued a 9-point directive for institutional reform. Additionally, official trade processes have been initiated to export surplus Nepali clarified butter (ghee) to China and Gulf nations.

For more: Agriculture Bill 2083 Set