Beans from Nisdi being exported to Europe

By Iman Singh Rana,Rampur (Palpa), Jan. 28: Beans produced in Nisdi Rural Municipality of Palpa district are being prepared for export to Europe. The Galdha Social Entrepreneurial Women’s Cooperative, which has been exporting organic certified ginger and beans to Europe, is set to send 40 tonnes of white beans to the Netherlands this year.

The cooperative is preparing to collect the organic beans produced by farmers, carry out grading and packaging, and then send them off. 

The cooperative has been exporting ginger for the past four years, in partnership with Akishta Nepal, and beans to European countries since last year, when it exported 20 tonnes of beans. Currently, the women members of the cooperative are working tirelessly to grade the beans.

In the past, farmers had to deal with middlemen, but now they are excited as they can sell their beans at the market price in Kathmandu, informed the cooperative’s president, Ammaya Mashrangi. "The farmers are enthusiastic as the marketing of the agricultural produce is now assured," she said. She also mentioned that the production of organic beans has increased compared to last year.

According to the cooperative’s manager, Dilmaya Saru, beans worth Rs. 7.2 million have been purchased from the farmers in preparation for shipment to the Netherlands. The cooperative purchased the beans from farmers at a rate of Rs. 175 a kg, which is in line with the market price in Kathmandu. Akishta Nepal's agricultural technician, Shravan Kumar Shrestha, said that 20 tonnes of beans would be sent in the first phase and another 20 tonnes in the second phase.

The cooperative has selected 48 women for the grading and packaging of the beans, with 30 women working daily. Beans are being produced in areas such as Gejha, Kathaidanda, Pataksar, Dhanubas, Gabudanda, Kharkadanda, Bahapur, Belauji, Ghanchur, and Kotthar in Galdha. The cooperative also mentioned that there is a demand for 20 tonnes of processed ginger from Europe this year.