Nepal Lists 148 Varieties of Rice: Growing Demand for Indigenous Rice in Cities

As the planting season begins, farmers across Nepal are busy with rice transplantation. From hybrid varieties to indigenous strains, various types of rice are being cultivated in the fields.

However, prices for indigenous rice vary significantly across marketplaces, from online stores to department stores. For example, Jumli Marsi rice is sold at NPR 380 per kilogram at Bhat-Bhateni Supermarket, while the Food Management and Trading Company offers the same rice at NPR 230 per kilogram.

Similarly, Local Chamal, an online store, lists black “Kalo Namak” rice at NPR 300 per kilogram, whereas R&R Food Suppliers sells it for NPR 220 per kilogram, and Hamro Natural Hub prices it at NPR 228 per kilogram.

Local Chamal also sells “Jetho Budho” rice at NPR 310 per kilogram, while Hamro Natural Hub offers it at NPR 290 per kilogram.

In recent years, department stores, local markets, and online shops have all begun selling indigenous rice varieties. According to Bhim Thapa, Head of Sales and Distribution at the Food Management and Trading Company, demand for these varieties has increased as people become more health-conscious.

“Due to their unique qualities, indigenous rice varieties are highly sought after. Our company also sells Jumli Marsi rice, and because we offer it at lower prices than private sellers, the demand is consistently high,” Thapa explained.

Uddhav Adhikari, coordinator of the Food for Agriculture Campaign and founding president of the Farmers’ Group Federation, emphasized the importance of indigenous rice. “Indigenous rice varieties are vital for food security, nutrition, crop breeding, and improvement. More people are choosing these varieties for their health benefits, even though production levels remain low,” he said.

Popular indigenous varieties include Jorayal Basmati from Doti, Jumli Marsi, Jetho Budho, and Andi rice from Kaski. These varieties tend to be more expensive compared to regular rice. Other notable varieties include Kalo Namak, Samudra Phini, Rani Ghaiya, and Chino rice from Humla.

Though the government sets minimum support prices for common rice varieties, it has not fixed prices for all indigenous varieties, resulting in significant price differences between online platforms and stores.

Prices for some popular varieties per kilogram:

• Black rice: NPR 500 to NPR 800
• Kalo Namak/Nuniya rice: NPR 225 to NPR 300
• Samudra Phini rice: NPR 240 to NPR 300
• Jumli Marsi rice: NPR 230 to NPR 338
• Jetho Budho rice: NPR 290 to NPR 320
• Taichin rice: NPR 140 to NPR 175
• Basmati rice: NPR 130 to NPR 432
• Jiramasino rice: NPR 90 to NPR 144
• Chino rice from Humla: up to NPR 235
• Susi rice: up to NPR 230
• Andi rice: up to NPR 350
• Pokhareli rice: up to NPR 128
• Rani Ghaiya rice: up to NPR 230

According to Tilak Dhakal, President of Raithane Agri Products, indigenous rice is increasingly preferred by both farmers and consumers. “Farmers receive fair prices, and consumers get high-quality, nutritious products,” he added.

He also noted that Samudra Phini rice has high demand at local markets in Durbar Marg, Dhapasi, and similar areas, while Kalo Namak and Taichin are also popular.

Keshav Devkota, Head of the Crop Development and Agrobiodiversity Conservation Center, said rice prices are set by market forces. While farmers traditionally preferred high-yielding hybrids, interest in indigenous rice is growing due to subsidies and promotional efforts by both government and private companies.

According to the Seed Quality Control Center, Nepal has officially listed or registered 148 rice varieties, including 94 native ones. Among them, only two are registered hybrids, while the remaining 54 are imported varieties, including 48 hybrid strains.

Despite hybrids being more productive, many farmers are shifting back to native rice varieties for their unique qualities and market value. More than a dozen registered native rice varieties are now cultivated commercially, and some unregistered indigenous varieties are also grown by local farmers.

Rice remains a staple food for over half the world’s population, according to Nepal’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. Global rice production for 2024/25 is projected to reach 535.8 million tons, with Asia accounting for around 90% of both production and consumption.

“China, India, and Indonesia are the largest rice producers globally, while international rice trade totals approximately 60 million tons annually,” said Ram Krishna Shrestha, Joint Secretary at the ministry. India is the world’s top rice exporter.

Nepal ranks 13th globally in rice consumption, 17th in production, and 64th in productivity. In fiscal year 2024/25, Nepal cultivated rice on 1,420,636 hectares of land, yielding 5,955,476 tons. However, the country still faces a shortfall of around 1 million tons annually.

“Out of the 7 million tons of rice Nepal needs annually, we have a deficit of 1 million tons. By mid-June, Nepal had imported around 753,000 tons of rice and rice products, costing the country NPR 38.94 billion,” said Prakash Kumar Sanjel, Director General of the Department of Agriculture.

Despite government subsidies on fertilizers, seeds, irrigation, mechanization, concessional loans, and crop insurance, Nepal still relies heavily on imports to meet domestic rice demand.