Kathmandu, April 6 -- Jumla'smarsired rice earned some notoriety in 2018 aftera photograph went viralon social media of Prime Minister K P Oli and Premier-in-waiting Pushpa Kamal Dahal tucking in a lavish meal.

At the table with plates of red rice was business tycoon Durga Prasai, and the image mademarsisynonymous with political cronyism. However, all the free publicity also boosted demand for Jumla's red rice in Kathmandu, where the government last month recognised it as a local brand.

Marsiwas brought under the government's food trade management last month, and is being lifted in bulk by the government from farmers in Jumla to be sold in Kathmandu. Its price is fixed at Rs225 per kg, and all this has turned out to be good news for far...