Process to set up turmeric processing centre starts in Pyuthan

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Dec. 10: 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.