KATHMANDU: Following the decision of the government to allow foreign investment in the agricultural sector, aggrieved agri-entrepreneurs tried to meet Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lekhraj Bhatt on Sunday. Later, Minister’s secretariat called them at the minister’s residence on Monday morning. However, entrepreneurs again were informed that the Minister cannot meet them then.
Then, officials from the Nepal Dairy Association and the Dairy Industry Association contacted former Agriculture and Livestock Development Minister Ghanshyam Bhusal. Bhusal said that he had rejected the proposal for foreign investment in agriculture in the past.
Later, when entrepreneurs reached out to newly appointed Agriculture and Livestock Development Minister Padmakumari Aryal, she said, “I have just taken over the ministry and have not received any further information.”
Following this, entrepreneurs hold a press conference and objected the government’s decision to allow foreign investment in agriculture sector. They are also preparing to submit memorandums to the concerned government bodies and announce protest programmes against the decision to allow foreign investment in the agriculture sector.
If foreign investment in the primary sector of agriculture is opened, Rs 4 billion will be at risk in the beekeeping sector, Rs 11 billion in the fisheries sector, Rs 30 billion in the dairy industry and Rs 40 billion in the grain and poultry sector, as per agriculture entrepreneurs.
If the controversial decision to attract foreign investment in agriculture is implemented, there is a danger of losing the income of more than 1.5 million farmers and workers, they say.
Thus, entrepreneurs have asked the government to immediately scrap its decision to allow investment in the agriculture sector.