Aagya Khabar
Bardibas
The Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative Limited located in Bardibas Municipality of Mahottari—after remaining inactive for nearly 27 years—is once again emerging as a center of hope and opportunity for local farmers. Covered by the dust of time for decades, the cooperative is now on a path of revival, instilling new energy and confidence among the farmers of Bardibas.
Beginning of Revival
Established in 2032 B.S. (1975 A.D.), the cooperative once envisioned becoming a strong medium for collective production, market management, and financial transactions. However, over time, various challenges caused its activities to come to a halt. Now, under the leadership of Chairperson Bhanubhakta Pokharel, the cooperative is regaining momentum, with the municipality itself playing a key role in driving this revival.
Mayor Prahlad Kumar Kshetri has supported the cooperative by handing over essential materials—especially milk collection cans—strengthening its structural capacity. Furthermore, the municipality has demonstrated its long-term commitment by investing NPR 500,000 in share membership.
A New Path for Farmers
Currently, the cooperative is focusing on two major sectors—milk production and collection, and turmeric farming. At present, around 200 liters of milk are being collected daily, with a target to increase this to 1,500 liters in the near future.
The cooperative is not only encouraging production but also connecting farmers directly to markets. According to Chief Administrative Officer Ram Mani Adhikari, the role of middlemen in milk collection is being eliminated, ensuring direct collection and distribution through the cooperative. This is expected to guarantee fair prices for farmers.
Turmeric Farming: A New Area of Potential
With the goal of commercializing turmeric farming in Bardibas, the cooperative is in the final stages of preparing cultivation on 7 bighas of land this year, with plans to expand to an additional 25 bighas. To attract farmers, interest-free loans of NPR 2,000 per kattha have been made available, encouraging small farmers to engage in commercial agriculture.
Mayor Kshetri has also announced a 50 percent subsidy for turmeric farming conducted through the cooperative and assured that the municipality will take responsibility for marketing local products.
Organic Production and Market Linkages
Speaking at the program, Gunja Bahadur Karki, Chairperson of the Hotel and Tourism Entrepreneurs Federation, Mahottari, emphasized the need to promote organic agricultural production through the cooperative as a campaign. According to him, the cooperative can serve as a bridge in marketing local products.
Infrastructure and Long-Term Vision
The municipality has reported the construction of 40 kilometers of roads and two bridges in rural areas to facilitate easier transportation of agricultural products to markets. Such infrastructure development is expected to reduce the gap between production and market access.
A New Story of Hope
The reactivation of the Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative is not just the revival of an institution—it is a new story shaped by collective effort, support from the local government, and the hard work of farmers.
“Only through collective investment and cooperation can farmers achieve prosperity,” said Mayor Kshetri. This statement is now beginning to take practical shape in the fields of Bardibas.
Breaking years of silence, the cooperative now delivers a clear message to local farmers: it is no longer just about production—fair pricing and dignified income are now within reach.
