Argakhanchi Cement starts formal export

KATHMANDU: Argakhanchi Cement, one of Nepal’s largest and best cement producers, began formal exports of its products on Monday.

In the first lot, the company organized a program at its factory in Rupandehi and exported 1400 sacks (70 tons) of ‘Portland Pozzolana Cement’ (PPC) cement to India.

According to the company, Arghakhanchi products were purchased for the first time by Shivansh Associates in Nautanwa, Maharajganj, India.

This is the first step toward exporting to India. This accomplishment was made possible by the government’s eight percent subsidy. This will help reduce the trade deficit with India,” Arghakhanchi Cement’s Managing Director Rajesh Kumar Agarwal says.

Similarly, Pashupati Murarka, owner of Arghakhanchi Cement and former president of the Federation of Nepal Chambers of Commerce and Industry, stated that the industry’s dream of exporting has been realized since its inception. “My wish now is that the majority of the cement produced by the industry be exported to India,” he said.

Murarka claims that there is no limestone mining in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, or other parts of India. Exports to India have begun in order to ‘cash’ in on that market. He also emphasized that all Nepalese cement producers should seize this opportunity.

He urged the government to improve the environment for importing coal from India in order to boost cement exports even further.

Cement exports from Nepal have begun after the Bureau of Indian Standards of India awarded Argakhanchi Cement, a product of Argakhanchi Cement Limited, the Indian Standards Institute (ISI) quality mark.

The company has obtained the ISI mark for the export of OPC, PPC, and clinker. According to this, the company intends to export its OPC and clinker products to neighboring countries’ markets in the future.