KATHMANDU: Senior leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Balen Shah, has called for measures to strengthen local vegetable production and protect farmers’ interests.
Addressing the “Parivartan Udgosh Sabha” held in Bharatpur, Chitwan on Friday, Shah outlined his vision for the district’s development potential.
Speaking about tourism prospects in Chitwan, he said locals do not need to be taught how to promote tourism. “Just as Messi or Ronaldo do not need to be taught how to play football, the people of Chitwan do not need to be taught tourism,” he said.
He added that the Tharu community has long been promoting tourism nationally and internationally through its culture, noting that their practices themselves serve as lessons for Nepal’s tourism sector.
Turning to agricultural issues, Shah said it was unfortunate that farmers are forced to dump milk on the streets and discard vegetables due to market problems.
He blamed a limited group of middlemen and local actors for creating conditions that make locally produced goods appear expensive and called for policy interventions to address the issue.
Shah said affordable cold storage facilities could be built by utilizing Nepal’s inexpensive domestically produced electricity, enabling farmers to store and sell vegetables in the following season. “Chitwan can be developed as a vegetable storage hub,” he said, adding that produce from across the country could be stored there.
He also noted that electricity generated during the monsoon season often goes to waste and suggested investing in battery storage systems, fertilizer factories, and data centers to utilize surplus energy, which could also create employment opportunities.
Recalling that he traveled 7,000–8,000 kilometers during the election campaign, Shah said he observed similar problems across districts. “The problem of one district can be solved by another district,” he said.
He compared the country’s current condition to the Hetauda Cement Factory, saying, “There are machines and mines, yet it remains closed,” and remarked that despite having resources and infrastructure, the country has failed to achieve expected progress.
Referring to Wai Wai noodles owned by Nepali Congress leader Binod Chaudhary, he said Nepal and the Hetauda Cement Factory should be made as successful as the Wai Wai factory. “If we can do that, we can export our products worldwide just like Wai Wai,” he said.
At the event, Shah also mentioned that Rabi Lamichhane is a candidate from the area and urged people not to create unnecessary tension. “Now we must work together to build the nation,” he said.
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