Kathmandu, 25 Nov: Construction of a meat processing factory is set to begin in the last week of Mangsir (mid-December) in Marin Rural Municipality, Sindhuli. The factory aims to export processed buffalo meat from Nepal to China. Himalayan Food International Pvt. Ltd. has completed the design phase and moved into the construction stage.
The company stated that the factory will be built at a total cost of 27.64846 billion rupees. Of this, 20 billion rupees will be spent on factory construction and plant installation, while 7 billion rupees will be invested in livestock farming, worker housing, and grass cultivation.
Of the total investment, 20 billion rupees will come as foreign investment from China’s Chengdu Jian Food Ltd. The Department of Industry had already approved the foreign investment in the month of Saun.
Dr. Navin Sharma, Chairperson of Himalayan Food International Pvt. Ltd., said that with the completion of land design work, factory construction will begin in the last week of Mangsir. He informed that 500 million rupees in foreign investment has already arrived, with the remaining on the way.
“Currently, the process of bringing in 20 billion rupees from China is ongoing. From the remaining 7 billion rupees, some percentage will be added by the Chinese partner, and the rest will be raised by the Nepali partner company,” he said. According to him, the processes for managing land required for food facilities, housing blocks, a holding center, and the processing house have been initiated.
Plant to Create Over 5,000 Jobs and Export via Kerung Border
Once the factory is completed, meat will be exported from Sindhuli to China via Kathmandu and the Kerung border point. The plant, which will be built over 55 bighas of land, is expected to create 5,156 jobs, according to details submitted to the Department of Industry.
The company aims to export meat produced from 5,000 buffaloes and 500 metric tons of meat daily. It also targets producing 200,000 metric tons of processed buffalo meat and 55,000 metric tons of by-products annually, including bones, hide, heads, and internal organs.
To promote commercial and disease-free buffalo farming, buffalo farmer groups have been formed across the country. The company also stated that grass production has already begun in Gulariya, Bardiya.
The foreign direct investment (FDI) of 20 billion rupees for the buffalo meat processing industry in Sindhuli—under Chinese partnership—was formally approved in Saun.
The factory will be built in two shifts and is planned to be completed within eight months. Construction was delayed in Aswin due to restrictions on extracting stone, gravel, and sand. The company aims to begin meat exports within one year.
