Tamghas. Govinda Gyawali of Thorga Panitanki of Rurukshetra rural municipality-3 in Gulmi district had an ancestral occupation of sugarcane cultivation. He has earned income from sugarcane by selling khudo and jaggery. Gyawali has been earning Rs 58,000 annually from sugarcane cultivation on 2.5 ropanis of land.
Apart from sugarcane farming, the family is involved in other agricultural professions while Govinda has worked in the good khudo industry established in the village. Govinda said that there is no plan to go abroad as there is a good income for some sugarcane seeds. Like Govinda, many people are earning a handsome income from sugarcane cultivation in Rurukshetra. Rurukshetra Rural Municipality is famous for sugarcane cultivation. Sugarcane is being cultivated in about 3,000 ropanis of land across the municipality. Recently, the municipality has set up ‘Thogreli Good Khudo Industry’ in Ward No. 4 for fair price and marketing of sugarcane.
As a result, the locals have got almost double the price of sugarcane on the one hand and on the other hand, employment has also been created in the village. The industry has been producing jaggery, khudo and sweets from sugarcane juice. As a result, the quality of life of sugarcane farmers has changed. Ruru Multipurpose Co-operative Society Limited was formed to establish an industry by integrating sugarcane farmers. At present, there are 110 agriculture companies in the cooperative. ‘Thogreli Good Khudo Udyog’ is also being operated through this cooperative. The industry now buys sugarcane from farmers’ fields.
The industry has been procuring sugarcane at Rs 11 per kg in the month of January and Rs 12 per kg since February. Prakash Chalise, coordinator of The Ruru Agriculture Project, said that the industry has been making khudo baking and making sweets of jaggery and jaggery by crushing sugarcane brought by the industry.
Job creation from industry
The industry established in Ruru has also created employment at the local level. Hari Senani, a local, previously worked in the company of both of them. He came home a few years ago and said that he got work in the industry established in the village. He now works as a sugarcane cooker, jaggery maker and packaging. “I had to do a lot of work abroad under the pressure of others and i have been able to work with my friends here,” he said. Sita Pantha, who works as a good packaging worker in the same industry, has found it easier to manage her daily household expenses since she started working in the industry.
He said that he earns Rs 12,000 per month by working as a share member of the cooperative. Kalpana Rai, who has been working since the establishment of the industry, also said that she does not have to ask her husband for household expenses for small expenses.
“I have been managing my household expenses and 2,000 rupees are also with me,” he said, adding, “Although an industry has been set up in the village, our daily life has changed.” At present, five people are employed regularly in the industry. All the cooperatives working are shareholders. Depending on their type of work, they have been given rs 12,000 to Rs 25,000 per month. In this way, the cooperative will pay Rs 200,000 per month to all the workers, said manager Prakash Thapa.
Good, retail sales worth Rs 2.9 million in four months
An industry was set up in ward no. 4 to make dishes made from sugarcane juice. Of this, the municipality has invested Rs 2 million for the construction of the building and Heifer International has invested Rs 5.2 million in coordination with the Ruru Agriculture Project run by the Newly Impacted Youth Association. The industry has earned well within a short period of its establishment.
The industry produces and sells sugarcane, from the purchase of jaggery, khudo and sweets. The produce is consumed in the local market. So far, 75 quintals of jaggery has been sold for Rs 1.9 million and 5,000 litres of khudo for Rs 1 million from 265 tonnes of sugarcane processing, said Thapa, manager of the cooperative. At present, two and a half quintals of khudo is being produced daily.
There is still 15,000 liters of retail stock. Farmers have received Rs 3.18 million from the sale of 265 tonnes of sugarcane since the establishment of the industry. Sugarcane, which was earlier sold at Rs 7 per kg, is now being sold at Rs 12 per kg with the establishment of the industry. Ganga Pun has earned rs 250,000 from the sale of sugarcane. “Since the establishment of the industry, the price of sugarcane has almost doubled,” pun said. At present, sugarcane of Ratokosher, Tharapate and other varieties are produced in Ruru. On an average, a cane cane cane produced in nine months is three kilograms. ’
Chairman of Rurukshetra Rural Municipality Yadu Gyawali said the industry has been set up keeping in mind the needs of the farmers. “We are moving towards creating employment through agriculture and tourism,” gyawali said, adding, “The municipality has provided support in fertilizers, seeds and technology to expand sugarcane cultivation.” He also said that special priority would be given to sugarcane cultivation and industry in the policy and program of the new fiscal year to be made now.
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