Consumers pick yams of their choice for Maghe Sankranti

People in Kathmandu and elsewhere are now busy buying yam, as consuming yam is a part of Maghe Sankranti that falls on Thursday. They boil the yam on the last day of Poush and eat it the next morning with ghee, chaku and molasses. They consume various kinds of yams, either boiled or with some condiments, while marking the Maghe Sankranti festival.

Pest control broadens smiles of orange farmers

Orange farmers of Sindhuli district have breathed a sigh of relief after successfully controlling the pest that used to damage their fruit every year. The Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation Project, Sweet Orange Super Zone and farmers have finally succeeded to curb the problem after a two-year-long combat against the notorious pest. Lok Bahadur Ale, one of the sweet orange farmers of Golanjor Gaunpalika-4, Tinkanya, is ecstatic after being able to protect his farm from potential danger.

Govt bans poultry import from India in fear of bird flu

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has urged everyone to stay alert about bird flu. The ministry has urged the people, especially in the Terai region, to remain alert as bird flu has been confirmed in various parts of India. The ministry on Wednesday directed the major border checkpoints to stay on high alert.

Cardamom export records worth Rs. 3bn in five months

With the decline in cardamom yield in India this year, the demand for cardamom produced in Nepal has been rising lately. Cardamom traders said that the price of cardamom produced in Nepal has also increased due to the shortage of cardamom in the Indian market. In the past, the market price of cardamom in India had declined due to higher production there.

Nepal's aviation industry incurs losses of Rs. 17.6 billion

Nepal's aviation industry has incurred a loss of more than Rs. 17.6 billion due to COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the biggest impact of the COVID-19 has been on the national flag carrier, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC). NAC has lost about Rs. 5 billion in revenue due to its inability to use the aircraft during the pandemic. Another international flight company, Himalaya Airlines, has lost Rs. 2 billion in revenue. Domestic airlines, including helicopter...

Paddy yield sets new record at 5.62 million tonnes

Nepal produced record amount of paddy this year. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, paddy production rose to 5.621 million tonnes this year from 5.55 million tonnes in the fiscal year 2019/20. Earlier, in the fiscal year 2018/19, paddy production had reached 5.61 million tonnes rice. According to a report published by the Ministry on Monday, paddy output totalled 5.621 million tonnes that is 70,831 tonnes higher than last year’s harvest. “Timely and favourable...

Remittance inflow surges during pandemic

Braving the global economic slump, job losses, and health challenges, remittance inflow to Nepal has improved in the first four months of the current fiscal year as compared to the previous fiscal year. The remittance receipt has increased by 11.2 per cent to Rs. 337.72 billion in the first four months of the current fiscal year. The remittance inflow had decreased by 2.8 per cent in the corresponding period of the previous year. The improvement in the inflow of remittances during this period is...

Govt unveils first water resources policy

The government has formulated a water resources policy for the first time.Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Barshaman Pun unveiled the ‘National Water Resources Policy-2077’ at a function organised at the Ministry on Thursday. The Council of Ministers had approved the policy on June 17, 2020.Although there were different policies relating to water supply, irrigation, electricity and management of water-induced disaster, there was no integrated policy.

Govt asks sugar mill owners to announce due payment timeline

The government has taken initiative, again, to resolve the recurring problem of sugarcane farmers who are compelled to stage protest demanding payment of dues from the sugar mills. On the second day of sugarcane farmers' agitation at Maitighar Mandala, Kathmandu, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply called on the owners of sugar mills to negotiate payment to the farmers. “We held discussions with the owners of sugar mills in the presence of the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supplies...

Milk consumption gains momentum

Milk, which had seen a plunge in consumption during COVID-19 restrictions, is finally starting to regain its market. Recording a drop of 30 per cent during the lockdown, milk consumption has seen an uptick after a 60 per cent increase in sales, said entrepreneurs. The daily supply of milk through the formal channel has reached around 500,000 litres now, when previously it had dropped to 250,000-300,000 litres, as per Radha Krishna Sapkota, chairman of Nepal Dairy Association (NDA).