The Nepal Distillery initiates special initiative for sugarcane farming & agricultural expansion

KATHMANDU: The Nepal Distilleries Pvt Ltd has started a special initiative in collaboration with the Nepal Farmers Advisory Council for the promotion of sugarcane cultivation, the main cash crop of Madhesh State, to increase the farmers’ attraction towards it and for the greater development of the agricultural sector.

Nepal Distillery Pvt. Ltd. recently collaborated with the Nepal Farmers Advisory Council to conduct a targeted orientation program in Dhanusha District.

This program, tailored towards capacity building, income augmentation, and empowerment of marginalized farming communities, specifically aimed at uplifting sugarcane farming in the region.

Under the guidance of the Agricultural Development Directorate and the Agriculture Business Promotion and Training Center located in Naktajhij, farmers from Siraha, Saptari, Mahottari, and Dhanusha districts were provided with seed-based training and income enhancement programs for sugarcane farming. Nepal Distillery Pvt. Ltd. undertook the organization of these programs under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) within the framework of social accountability.

The organizer of the program, Mr. Janak Raj Regmi, the chief administrative officer of Nepal Distillery Pvt. Ltd., elucidated on the multifaceted qualities of sugar produced from sugarcane, not merely emphasizing its sugar production but also highlighting its potential for comprehensive agricultural expansion, development, and conservation.

He stated, “Since 1959, Nepal Distillery has been internationally renowned for its commercial production of premium beverage ingredients, and it has been actively engaged in consuming domestically produced sugarcane from local farmers. Molasses, a vital raw material for rum production, is extracted from sugarcane. Hence, the company shares a robust relationship with sugarcane farmers. By strengthening this crucial bond, we are committed to actively fostering collaborative long-term initiatives aimed at advancing the collective upliftment of sugarcane farmers.

Addressing the program, Dr. Sharan Kumar Pandey, the Secretary of the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture, and Cooperatives of State 2, highlighted the issues faced by sugarcane farmers, such as irregular payments, lack of fertilizers, and seeds, and stressed the need for the development of sugarcane farming.

He also informed about the ongoing preparations for the establishment of the State sugarcane Development Board, which will encompass eight districts of Madhesh, aiming to address these challenges and foster the advancement of sugarcane farming.

Madhesh State Land Management Agriculture and Cooperative Minister Govinda Bahadur Neupane mentioned that the state government is committed to address the overall demands and needs of sugarcane farmers and said that the agricultural sector will be developed by establishing agricultural knowledge centers in every municipality of Madhesh State.

During the program, Dr. Vimal Kumar Nirmal, the Managing Director of the Nepal Farmers Advisory Council, presented the status, issues, and opportunities of sugarcane farming in Madhesh State.

He mentioned the potential for high profitability in sugarcane production in Nepal, emphasizing the possibility of producing spirits and other beverage ingredients from the remaining portion of sugarcane after extracting molasses, rather than just producing jaggery, sugar, and alcohol. He further stated, “In this regard, the replacement of imported foreign beverage ingredients can save the country’s capital from going abroad.” He expressed gratitude to Nepal Distillery for its readiness to collaborate in this noble campaign.

Former Agriculture Secretary and Chair of Nepal Farmers Advisory Council, Dr. Yogendra Kumar Karki, Program Coordinator of the Council, Narayan Shrestha, Mahendra Pant, Dilraj Yadav, Ramkrishna Rajak and Anisur Rahman Ansari spoke in the program.