Agreement signed for commercial rubber farming

Kathmandu / Sept 24: Girija Prasad Koirala Foundation and Institute of Rubber and Jatropha Research-Nepal, USA, have signed an agreement for commercial rubber farming and research.

Director at the Science and Technology Department of the Foundation, Dr Tara Prasad Banjade, and Executive Director of the Institute, Tilak Bhandari, on Thursday signed the agreement in presence of Foundation Chair Sujata Koirala.

An understanding has been reached between the two organizations to start the work soon with an objective of cultivating rubber on hundreds of hectares of land within five years, to improve the living standard of farmers, create employment and involve youth and students in research of rubber farming, according to the foundation.

It is shared that the country might be self-reliant in rubber production by decreasing around Rs 11 billion spent on the import of rubber tyre, tube and rubber-related raw material a year.

On the occasion, Foundation Chair Koirala said that an agreement has been signed with the US organization in order to utilize it as an opportunity of creating employment for thousands of youths in the country at a time when Nepal and the world have been facing a huge crisis in economic and social sectors due to COVID-19.

Similarly, Executive Director of the Institute, Bhandari, shared that raw materials could be provided to around 500 rubber factories inside the country in a permanent manner by initiating further research of rubber farming and producing rubber commercially in the country.

Gorakhkali Rubber Industry Ltd was established in 2049 BS at the direction of former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and a nine-member rubber development committee representing rubber farmers was also formed.