Plastic industry established

By Our Correspondent,Tikapur, Jan. 24; Two youths, Navaraj Bhattarai and Mukesh Bam, has opened an industry called Tikapur Plastic Industry at a cost of Rs. 400 million in Belaspur, Kailali. The industry is producing plastic ropes and supplying them to the market.

The industry started production of 21 types of plastic ropes and supplying them to the market. Also, printing, sewing and cutting with six colorus in plastic bags have started as per the demand. 

Navaraj Bhattarai, the owner of the industry, said that the industry was producing three and a half tonnes of ropes and three tonnes of sacks daily at a rate of 150 kg per hour. Altogether, 17 Indian nationals and 23 Nepali citizens are working the industry. 

Germany-made equipment has been installed in the industry, which spreads  in four acres of land. The raw material needed to make the rope in the industry is coming from India's Reliance, Opal and Indian Oil, while sacks are brought from Shivam and Jagdamba Plastic Industry and they have started providing them to other industries in the region by printing and sewing the logo.

According to the producers, they have a plan to supply the ropes to nearby markets like Narayangadh, Kathmandu, Biratnagar and Siliguri in India and preparations were being made to send it to Uttarakhand and Haryana in India in a few days.

The industry also started producing twine ‘thin rope’ within a month. It is making twine using the grains sent from Birgunj and Butwal. Traders said that the products manufactured in Tikapur Plastic Industry are of the highest quality available in the market. 

Amar Chaudhary, another entrepreneur, who is in plastic business for 17 years, said that this quality product has not been available in the market before in Nepal and the price is relatively cheap, so consumers have preferred it. Similarly, Bijay Neupane, the owner of BM Foods, Tikapur, said that digital printing has been found on the bags and it has become cheaper than what was previously printed outside. “The quality of the produced goods is good as the goal is to compete in the open market within Nepal and outside Nepal,” he said.

The government prohibits the import of plastic raw materials from the customs of western Nepal. And the customs rates for plastic finished goods and raw materials from India are the same, which was the reason plastic industry was facing problems.