Khadya Bank to promote indigenous seed crops

By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Mar. 21: Newly established Rastriya Khadya Bank Limited has started works to produce crops within the current fiscal year.
“We have begun works to produce crops in different places of 22 districts,” said Shankar Nath Upreti, executive chairman of bank, at a press conference on Saturday.
The bank was established recently to market, produce and distribute agro products in chain.
The bank aims at leasing land in all seven provinces and all local levels and produce and sell cereals, vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, cash crops and livestock, said Upreti.
According to him, the bank has already leased around 500 bighas of land in 22 districts, including Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Banke, Bardiya, Kailali, Kanchanpur, Ramechhap, Chitwan and Dolakha for the programme.
“Firstly, our target is to research the products by producing ourselves and encourage farmers to produce organic crops applying our suggestions. Then after, the bank will ensure the farmers to purchase their products,” he said.
The bank, which has been set up with the paid up capital of Rs. 2 billion, will handle everything from food production to marketing and delivery, Upreti said.
He said that each person and cooperative could be owner by investing as per their capacity. Above 500 people have already committed to investing from Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 300,000 for the bank.
The bank is affianced in a campaign to increase quality agricultural products by leasing government barren land, empty land of community, schools and other types of land, he said.
He said that the bank would conduct research on local indigenous seeds to preserve and promote them.
Upreti said that the bank would support the government plans to make the country self-reliant in agricultural products.