Maize Imports and New Cultivation Programs in Far West Nepal

Dhangadhi— Over the past nine months of the current fiscal year, maize worth NPR 170 million has been imported from India through the Gaddachouki border in Kanchanpur.

A total of 45.83 million kilos of maize were imported during this period, primarily for consumption in the grain industry. In an effort to reduce maize imports, a special maize cultivation program has been initiated in the Far West region.

The government has launched the Basante maize farming campaign in Kailali and Kanchanpur, promising subsidies on seeds, irrigation, technical assistance, and marketing support.

This initiative, part of the Chief Minister's Big and Special Program, is being implemented for the first time this year in various areas including Gauriganga, Ghodighoda, Kailari, Jankinagar, Lamkichuha, Tikapur, and Kanchanpur, as well as in the rehabilitated regions of Beldadi Belauri and other parts of Kailali.

Managed through the Krishi Gyan Kendra, the program covers 600 hectares in Kailali and 400 hectares in Kanchanpur, with plans to expand the cultivation area over the next three years.

This initiative aims to alleviate the current dependency on imported maize and other raw materials for the grain industry in Kailali and Kanchanpur.