Kathmandu: Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Ramnath Adhikari, has urged the Japanese government to support the establishment of a high-standard dairy processing centre in Kathmandu. Minister Adhikari made this request during a meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Nepal, Maeda Toru, at the ministry in Singha Durbar today.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Minister Adhikari acknowledged the progress Nepal has made in the dairy sector but emphasized the need for a processing centre. He praised Japan’s significant support in developing Nepal’s agriculture sector and expressed hope for additional support to modernize agriculture in the future. Highlighting Japan’s technological advancements in agriculture, Minister Adhikari suggested collaboration between the two countries to exchange technical knowledge. He noted that Japanese volunteers are currently assisting various offices under the ministry, providing Nepal an opportunity to learn from Japan’s renowned agricultural practices.
The minister also mentioned the government’s policy to attract investment by declaring an investment decade in agriculture. He urged the Japanese Ambassador to facilitate investment in Nepal. As Nepal and Japan are set to celebrate the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations next year, Minister Adhikari expressed confidence that Japanese support would further increase.
Similarly, Japanese Ambassador Toru assured that Japan’s support in the agriculture sector would continue, acknowledging the immense potential in Nepal’s agro sector. He committed to studying further possibilities for support in the coming days. The ambassador emphasized the importance of using equipment in agriculture development and suggested that Nepal should embrace modernization. He also proposed collaboration between Nepal and Japan to export Nepal’s tea and herbal products, noting the strong market for these products in Japan.