Kiwi processing factory benefits farmers

By Kabiraj Ghimire. Hile, Mar. 6: Durga Mani Paudel has established a kiwi processing factory in Marekatahre in Mahalaxmi Municipality-2, in Dhankuta district. 

He has invested approximately Rs. 10 million to set up the industry. After the establishment of the industry, Basantapur Tinjure Beverages, kiwi-producing farmers in Dhankuta and the hills in Koshi province have seen their market issues resolved. 

The plant is set up to process locally produced kiwis so that the farmers can benefit from commercial kiwi farming. The plant has started producing Tinjure Kiwi Garden Wine.

It is preparing its products to hit the market next week. The industry has a production capacity of 300,000 litres a year, but currently, it is producing 40,000 litres. It targets to reach full capacity in the next three years. 

Once fully operational, the company estimates an annual processing of 500 tonnes of kiwi. Mahalaxmi Municipality has already declared the surroundings as ‘Kiwi Pocket Area'.

Padam Rakhals, Ward Chairman of Mahalaxmi-2, said the new industry has positively impacted the production of the fruit, employment and market access of the product. 

While the company owns around 100 ropanis of land for kiwi farming, an additional 500 ropanis of land is used for the same in the village. 

Currently, the industry is buying kiwi at prices ranging from Rs. 50-80 per kg. With the establishment of the kiwi processing industry, farmers here no longer face issues of unsold produce. 

Local resident Tikaram Gurung noted that the local community is pleased with the steady market for their produce. Local farmer Til Bahadur Paudel shared that since the industry’s inception, they have felt secure as the market no longer poses a problem for selling their produce.

The company has been solely funded by Paudel. So far, Paudel has received grant assistance of Rs. 2.5 million from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rs. 7 million from the Rural Enterprise and Economic Development (REED) Project for technology procurement. 

Since the industry does not import raw materials, but instead uses locally produced goods, Paudel believes the company should be entitled to tax exemptions as it serves the rural areas of the hilly region.

Realising a dream 

In 2010, Janga Mani Paudel, a local resident, began kiwi farming with the assistance of the Ministry of Agriculture by importing kiwi saplings from Dolakha. 

Durga Mani Paudel, his son, is the one who began kiwi farming in the village. Although born in the village of Marekatahre, he had been living in Kathmandu since 1998. 

However, after 20 years, he returned to the village and got involved in kiwi processing. Though the process began in 2017, it was only this year that production officially started. 

After the kiwi farming initiative began in the village, Janga Mani passed away. But today, the village is thriving with kiwi farming. 

“I started the processing industry to strengthen the foundation of the kiwi farming my father established and to ensure the market wouldn’t be an issue for the produce,” Paudel said.