24th Annual General Meeting of Nepal Flour Mills Association Marks Key Indo-Nepal Agricultural Agreement

The 24th Annual General Meeting of the Nepal Flour Mills Association was held on Baisakh 12 at Hotel Hilton, Kathmandu, with Industry, Commerce and Supplies Minister Damodar Bhandari as the chief guest and Association President Kumud Dugar as chair.

A key highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Nepal Flour Mills Association and an Indian company to enhance agricultural information, analysis, and advisory services in Nepal through satellite-based technologies. This marks the first private-sector initiative to use such scientific tools for identifying agricultural potential, aiming for Nepal’s self-sufficiency in wheat within three years.

The agreement is expected to benefit Nepal in various ways:

i Market Intelligence: Collection and analysis of price data for agricultural commodities with regular reports to support farmer and trader decisions.
ii. Research and Advisory Services: Insights on production, consumption, trade, and market trends.
iii. Investment Guidance: Recommendations on seeds, fertilizers, and suitable crop selection.
iv. Digital Agri Solutions: AI-driven crop analysis, personalized advisories, and market linkages to empower farmers and shape future national agricultural strategies.
v. Agricultural News and Updates: Timely information and market reports for stakeholders.

Additionally, the presence of Mr. Anupam Kaushik, Managing Director of India’s National Cooperative Export Limited (NCEL), underscored deepening ties between Nepal and India in agricultural trade. NCEL plays a vital role in facilitating foodgrain imports such as wheat and sugar from India to Nepal. The event also honored Nepal's oldest flour mill, Khadya Udyog Limited, and the founding president of the Association, Mr. Rabindra Bahadur Shrestha.