Prime Minister Balen Shah Directs Domestic Organic Certification

Kathmandu. Prime Minister Balen Shah has directed the relevant bodies to arrange for the certification of organic agricultural products within the country. He gave this directive during a meeting with the officials of 'Organic Association Nepal', the umbrella organization of organic agricultural entrepreneurs, at the Prime Minister's Office and Council of Ministers in Singhdarbar.  

During the occasion, the officials demanded that an internationally recognized certification agency be established within Nepal under the government's control, as the international certification system for organic products is very expensive. The Prime Minister immediately addressed this.

Similarly, the officials demanded that the subsidy of up to 75 percent provided by the government for certification, which has stopped due to the high cost of international certification for organic products, be resumed. Prime Minister Shah has also become positive about providing this subsidy until an internationally standardized certification agency is established in Nepal.

During the discussion, Prime Minister Shah also stated that the government will take necessary steps to promote organic agriculture by controlling uncontrolled chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

During the discussion, the officials demanded that the government should provide subsidies for the production of organic fertilizer. Prime Minister Shah has also directed the relevant bodies to make arrangements as per their demand to provide assistance and subsidies to private industries and cooperatives producing organic fertilizer. It has also been informed that the Prime Minister is positive about the demand that organic fertilizer production or purchase should receive facilities similar to those provided for chemical fertilizers.

Furthermore, he stated that the relevant ministry is preparing a work procedure to legally resolve the issue of the subsidy provided by the government for the export of organic products, which has been stopped for the past two years.

During the discussion, Association Chairman Deepak Baskota, General Secretary Shanta Baskota Koirala, members, and Chairman of Gorkha Tea Estate Uday Chapagain, Chairman of Himalayan Sangrila Tea Factory Kamal Mainali, and Chairman of Annapurna Organic Agro Industry Farshuram Acharya were present.