Registrations of farm co-ops up in valley

KATHMANDU, MAR 28 -

Registrations of agriculture cooperatives in Kathmandu district have risen with the government adopting a policy of promoting cooperative farming. A total of 25 new agriculture cooperatives were registered at the Cooperative Division Office, Kathmandu in the first eight months of the current fiscal year.

Most of the new agriculture cooperatives registered are from the Sankhu and Dakshinkali areas. “An increased attraction for cooperative farming including livestock production in the VDCs of Kathmandu has contributed to the growth of these cooperatives,” said Krishna Sharma, senior officer at the division office.

The government had announced providing subsidies to cooperatives to purchase machinery to process agro products in the budget for the fiscal year 2011-12. The government has been providing a 50 percent subsidy on the investment required except for the cost of land to those engaged in cooperative farming.

The government through the Department of Cooperatives (DEoC) has earmarked Rs 7.5 million as subsidies for cooperatives related to agriculture, women and Dalits this year too. “Among them, we have given priority to cooperatives engaged in rearing cows, goats and pigs,” said Bishnu Prasad Ghimire, under secretary at the DEoC.

Last year, the DEoC provided Rs 59.4 million to 71 agriculture cooperatives engaged in producing tea, betel nuts, livestock and dairy products, among others. Ghimire added that they would be providing Rs 600,000 to 20 agriculture cooperatives based in Kathmandu. The DEoC has aimed to provide financial support to 760 agriculture cooperatives by the end of this fiscal.

Similarly, the government has been providing Rs 22.8 million to agriculture cooperatives in each district across the country through the concerned district cooperatives office, according to Ghimire.

Out of the 26,501 cooperatives registered as of last year, 5,373 are agriculture cooperatives.

Source: The Kathmandu Post