Kathmandu, Dec. 9
A
turmeric processing centre is being established in Pyuthan district with the
grant assistance of Human Security Project (GGP) of the Japanese government.
The Rs.
10 million project will support the provision of agriculture equipment and a
processing centre for the production, processing and commercialisation of
turmeric. Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, Kikuta Yutaka, and President of
Volunteer Nepal National Group (Vol Nepal), Shiva Rimal, signed the grant
contract at a programme organised at the embassy in Kathmandu.
Currently,
more turmeric is imported than is produced domestically. Local turmeric farmers
are not able to earn much profit due to the lack of domestic work centres to
commercialise the product, said the embassy in a statement.
"Our
staff visited the site at Pyuthan Municipality-8 to see how turmeric is grown
there. Turmeric is produced almost without the use of pesticides. I am hopeful
that the project will empower the local community," said Ambassador
Kikuta.
He said
that the introduction of agricultural machinery will increase production and
the processing centre, when established, will enable local people to process
turmeric, from cleaning to packaging.
Likewise,
Rimal said that the project will help in connecting communities and creating
opportunities for them.
According
to him, Pyuthan district is one of the turmeric production zones and the
project could be a benchmark for further development in the area.
Pyuthan and
neighbouring districts produce turmeric in a good amount. Turmeric worth
Rs. 270 million is imported to Nepal in a year. "We want to promote its
production because it can be produced in marginal land and subsistence level
farming will be upgraded to commercial agriculture," said Rimal.
He also said that
in a laboratory test conducted in Germany, cancer healing properties were found
in turmeric produced in Pyuthan.
The processing
centre will be operated by the local cooperatives.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 10 December 2022.
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