Why Did Farmers Throw Tomatoes On Kathmandu's Streets? Their Message Is Hard To Ignore

Vegetable farmers gathered at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu on Wednesday, where they threw tomatoes onto the road to protest falling returns from farming. The demonstration was organized to draw the government's attention to the financial crisis facing growers, who say they cannot recover their production costs because of low market prices, weak market management, and increasing competition from imported vegetables.

Farmers Say Costs Keep Rising, Earnings Keep Falling

Protesters said the money they receive for their vegetables is often too low to cover the expenses of seeds, fertilisers, labour, transportation, and cultivation. They argued that while production costs continue to increase, many locally grown vegetables remain unsold or are sold at prices that leave farmers with significant losses.

Five Major Demands Placed Before The Government

The farmers called for a minimum support price for agricultural products, increased farming subsidies, reliable access to quality fertilisers and seeds, stronger market management, and policies that give greater priority to Nepali-grown produce. They said these measures are necessary to protect domestic agriculture and encourage farmers to continue producing food.

Calls Grow For Long-Term Agricultural Reform

The protest has reignited debate over Nepal's agricultural policies and the challenges faced by local producers. Farmers warned that unless long-standing issues are addressed through practical reforms, more people could be forced to leave farming, affecting both rural livelihoods and the country's food security.