Women of Syangja to operate food industry at a cost of Rs. 43 million

By Our Correspondent,Waling, Mar. 12: The Gatishil Women Multipurpose Cooperative, which has only women as members, is going to operate a food industry. Only women are the operators of the industry, which is in the final preparation of production in Waling Municipality-6.

The cooperative said that the industry named Annapurna Food Industry is going to be established with the active participation of the members in the cooperative, which has about 10,000 shareholders.

Kabita Ghaire, chairman of the cooperative and deputy mayor of Waling Municipality, informed that they are going to operate the food industry through the cooperative as there will be a sense of community when the industry is operated through the cooperative.

“Women have been saving small amounts in cooperatives. The industry has been established by using such small amounts collected by women,” she said.

She said that they established the industry to set an example that women can also open and operate industries through cooperatives. The cooperative is going to operate industry at a cost of Rs. 43.5 million so that all the shareholders are investors of the industry.

Chairman Gaire informed that the industry would produce rice and wheat flour of Annapurna brand in the first phase. Kabita Bhusal, a member of the cooperative, informed that women who are now busy with household chores, taking care of children, sending children to school, will be busy with production and marketing.

She said, “Women who were initially afraid when it comes to running the industry are now willingly engaged in the management of the industry.”

Dilip Pratap Khand, former mayor of Waling Municipality, said that the industry that is about to be opened would be successful due to the enthusiasm of the women.

Looking at the enthusiasm of women, he informed that he had facilitated the establishment of industries during his tenure.

Indira Adhikari, secretary of the cooperative, said that it would be very easy to market the products as not only the women of the market area but also the women of the villages are members of the cooperative.

Krishna Khand, Mayor of Waling Municipality, said that he would help in the marketing of the produced goods.

He said that the municipality would support the industry to operate sustainably and make women independent.