KATHMANDU: Spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Shreeram Ghimire has clarified the need of foreign direct investment (FDI) in agriculture sector.
Ghimire made this remarks at a time when there was a debate on the need of FDI after the government decided to open up conditional foreign direct investment when of the House of Representatives (HoR) remains dissolved.
At a discussion programme organized by the Association of Nepali Agriculture Journalists (ANAJ) and National Federation of Farmers’ Group Nepal in Kathmandu today, spokesperson Ghimire informed that the FDI would be permitted only after adequate debate with the concerned stakeholders and ground works to that end.
It may be noted that the government’s decision to open up FDI in dairy industry, livestock, fishery and bee-keeping, fruit and vegetable and enterprises directly associated to primary production of agriculture was published in the national gazette on last January 4.
If the government’s decision comes to the effect as many as 6.6 million stakeholders will need to compete with multi-national companies in a direct or indirect manner.
General-Secretary of Dairy Enterprises Association Prahlad Dahal, Spokesperson of National Farmers Commission Rabindra KC, Golyan Group chair Pawan Golyan, coordinator of FNCCI (Commodities) Araniko Rajbhandari said that the FDI should be invited in a way to serve the interest of majority of farmers.
