KAVREPALANCHOWK: A new agricultural produce collection and market center has been launched in Panchkhal Municipality—long known as a major hub for food and vegetable production—to support the collection of pesticide-free vegetables.
The center has been established to collect vegetables grown using only organic pesticides, as part of a broader initiative to promote Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices.
The project is a joint effort between Panchkhal Municipality and the organization Lovegreen Nepal, with financial contributions of Rs. 9 million and Rs. 2.5 million, respectively.
According to Panchkhal Mayor Mahesh Kharel, the center aims to package, brand, and supply organically grown vegetables to Kathmandu. “This initiative is part of our goal to counter long-standing misconceptions about Panchkhal’s produce and promote organic farming,” Kharel said. He also mentioned that steps are being taken to establish a dedicated market for these products.
The center was jointly inaugurated on Saturday by Machuzaki Mizuki, Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Nepal; Mayor Kharel; and Lovegreen Nepal President Amira Dali. Mizuki emphasized that the center would play a vital role in promoting pesticide-free vegetable production in the region.
The initiative falls under the “Pesticide-Free Panchkhal” campaign, which has been ongoing for the past four years through the Environment-Friendly Integrated Sustainable Agriculture Development Project—a collaboration between Panchkhal Municipality and Lovegreen Nepal.
It is expected that 1,200 lead farmers—trained over 18 months in 22 types of IPM techniques at the IPM Farmer School—will supply vegetables to the center.
All crops will be grown using organic alternatives to chemical pesticides, further advancing the municipality’s mission of sustainable and safe agriculture.
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