What is this grass that China wants to import from Nepal?

KATHMANDU, March 30: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in his recent visit to Nepal agreed to import Haylage, dried grass used as animal fodder, from Nepal.

The two countries also signed a document entitled ‘Protocol of haylage export from Nepal to China’.

After meeting the criteria of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and China, Nepal will soon begin exporting this grass to China. 

“Nepal now will have to begin commercial farming of grass that is to be exported to China without compromising WTO’s and China’s criteria,” said Niru Dahal Pandey, secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.

The haylage must be processed and high in nutrients. The haylage can be prepared from Maize, Napier and Sargam species of grasses. 

Haylage is simply forage that is baled at a higher moisture content than dry hay and then stored in a sealed plastic wrap. Because of the high moisture level and air-tight environment, the forage ferments and is preserved by acid production during fermentation. So far, In Nepal, haylage is prepared in this process in Chitwan only. 

It is more economical for China to import haylage from Nepal than from supplying fooders from the mainland to the Tibet region. Besides, production cost will also be lower in Nepal than in China, said secretary Pandey.

Of the three species of grass that China has agreed to import from Nepal, Maize can be cultivated in all three regions – Himalayan, Hilly and Terai. Besides, Napier species also grows in most of the region of the country while Sargam species grows and thrives in hotter regions.