Priority should be given to local products: Minister Sharma

Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, has said though domestic production has increased it has not yet got its full market.

Inaugurating the Lumbini Province-level Cottage and Small Industries, Tourism, and Agriculture Exhibition organized by the Federation of Cottage and Small Industries, Dang, at Ghorahi on Wednesday, Minister Sharma said that small-scale entrepreneurs have been facing problems due to a lack of market for local agricultural products.

She stressed the need of carrying out activities for the branding of local organic products as the geographical territory and weather of different places of the country is different.

The Communications Minister shared that such types of expos should serve as an opportunity for promotion of the local products.

Mentioning that cottage and small entrepreneurs have been carrying out exemplary works by developing entrepreneurship, she said, "This is the basis of prosperity. It is necessary to take it ahead systematically. I believe that such types of the expo will be fruitful to encourage small entrepreneurs."

Minister Sharma expressed concern over the decrease in local products including mustard, Tilki, and Anadi rice in the recent period due to the modern agriculture system although Dang is a fertile land.

She pointed out the need of moving ahead utilizing the district properly as it has immense potential for agriculture, which could help the country's prosperity and create employment with the rise in domestic production.

On the occasion, Province Assembly member Raju Khanal, Central Chairperson of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, Bipul Pokhrel, Central Vice-Chairperson of the Federation of Small and Cottage Industries, Netra Pathak, said the agriculture expo would play a role in the recognition of local products and marketing.

There are more than 100 stalls of products manufactured in agriculture and Cottage industries of 12 districts of Lumbini Province at the expo. The expo will run till February 25.