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The Sayapatri Homestay has been opened in Beni municipality-9 targeting domestic and foreign tourists. With the financial and technical support of an organization called Eco Himal, the homestay has been opened in five houses in the first phase, with a capacity to accommodate 21 people. Sita Khatri, the chairperson of the Sayapatri Community Homestay Group, said that it will expand further in the village with the influx of tourists. Chairperson Khatri said that guests coming to the homestay will be welcomed and original art and culture will be displayed, as well as local products will be promoted as gifts and for sale.

Before the homestay was opened, the villagers were trained to prepare food for the guests by visiting places where Eco Himalaya Kathmandu has excellent homestay programs. Financial assistance of Rs 200,000 was provided to the homestay group and Rs 70,000 to five houses. Narayan Dhakal, the director of Eco Himalaya, said that the structure has been prepared as per the standards of the homestay program.

Beni Municipality Mayor Surat KC said that the operation of homestays in tourist spots within Beni Municipality will help in tourism development. He said that to attract tourists to tourist spots, the first thing to do is to prepare their accommodation and food infrastructure. He believed that the operation of homestays would contribute to the tourism development of Toripani village. He also said that the municipality would provide necessary support for the operation of homestays.

Prof Kurt Luger, Chairperson of Eco Himal Austria, said that tourism development is important for the sustainable development of Nepal. He said that since agricultural production is the main occupation for the development of Nepal and tourism is the second most important occupation, tourism should be developed along with nature conservation.

At the program, TAN Gandaki Chairperson Krishna Prasal Acharya said that the homestay program would be effective for rural tourism development. Acharya said that natural beauty, cultural diversity, as well as being able to offer local products to guests are important for sustainable tourism development. TAN Gandaki also expressed a commitment to support the promotion of tourism in homestays. At the program, Myagdi Chief District Officer Badri Prasad Tiwari, Ward Chairperson Chakra KC and others said that operating homestays would be important for rural tourism development.

Toripani village, located 9 kilometers north of Beni Bazaar, can be reached in 30 minutes by vehicle. From Toripani village, located at an altitude of 1,750 meters above sea level, one can observe the beauty of Annapurna, Machhapuchhre, Dhaulagiri and other mountains. The cultural diversity here, the structure of the Baise Chaubise Kalin state at the head of Toripani village are attractions for tourists. Dholthan, the then capital of the historical Parbat Ravya, can be used to learn about history. The base camp of the world’s seventh highest mountain, Dhaulagiri, and the Dhaulagiri Century Trek are attractive trekking routes for tourists.

Vegetable farming, poultry farming and animal husbandry are being carried out to provide local organic products to domestic and foreign tourists. Toripani village is a famous village for sichuan pepper production that is sold worth millions of rupees every year. The pepper was previously sold for Rs 300 per kilo, and is now being sold for Rs 3,000.

Rashmi Chokhal, a local homestay operator, said that when domestic tourists return from their homestays, they can bring the paper along with hemp seed, soybeans, ghee and vegetables as gifts, which is being produced organically  in the village. Beni Municipality-9 Toripani village is famous for sichuan pepper production.

Birgunj Metropolitan City has opened a well-equipped vegetable and fruit wholesale market near Railway Road in Chhapakaiya. The Rs 7m facility, wich came into operation from Sunday, was built to manage the vegetable and fruit vendors who had been operating their business from a vacant property of BP Garden near Ghantaghar in Birgunj Metropolitan City-9 for years.

The new market has 28 shuttered shops, warehouses, and toilet facilities. Birgunj Metropolitan City Mayor Rajeshman Singh formally inaugurated the newly constructed wholesale vegetable and fruit market. On the occasion, Mayor Singh said that the construction of the wholesale vegetable and fruit market is linked to the identity and name of the people of Chhapakaiya.

According to Arvind Lal Karna, Chief Administrative Officer of the metropolis, 28 shutters have come into operation in 14 units built at a cost of Rs 7m in the first phase. All basic facilities including electricity, water, toilets, sewage disposal and security are available in the wholesale market premises. Karna informed that there are plans to expand the number of units and physical infrastructure by investing an additional Rs 7m in the coming phase.

Deep Kumar Rai of Shyamshila-1, Bhojpur has become an example that hard work can grow gold even in your own soil. After returning from foreign employment a few years ago, he started a dairy industry and has made it a good source of income. The chhurpi business he produces from this dairy is earning millions of rupees annually.

Rai collects 400 liters of milk daily through the Chhintalung Dairy Industry and produces chhurpi from it.  He sends chhurpi worth about Rs 5m abroad annually and has been producing about 400 to 500 kilograms of chhurpi monthly.

He sells quality chhurpi produced in the dairy for up to Rs 1,150 per kilogram. Rai said that there is no problem in collecting milk after the rural municipality targeted farmers and distributed cows under subsidy in Pauwadung. He said, “There was a problem in transporting the milk produced by farmers to the district headquarters. After the industry was established here, it has become easier for farmers to sell. I go to their homes and collect milk.” Rai has been selling chhurpi along with ghee for Rs 750 per kg and kharuva ghee for Rs 1,000.

Farmers in the Shyamshila area had been facing the problem of lack of market even though they have been engaged in commercial animal husbandry for the past years. But now, Ward Chairperson Rajendra Tamang said that the market system has become much easier. He said, “Earlier, there was a problem with the market, there were no convenient roads to transport goods from villages, there were no vehicles, now that problem is no more, compared to before, it has become easier to deliver milk products not only to the district headquarters but also to external markets.”

The rural municipality chairperson Kiran Rai said that the ‘Milk Mission Program’ has been launched to make the rural municipality self-reliant in milk. He informed that improved breed cows and buffaloes have been provided as grants in areas suitable for animal husbandry. “We have been providing 50 percent grant support to farmers who want to raise animals,” said Kiran, “Farmers have started earning good income from milk sales. This incentive program has connected farmers to income generation.”

The rural municipality had distributed 13 improved breed buffaloes last year to provide nutrition and income to the locals. The rural municipality has stated that improved breed cows are being distributed again since the last fiscal year.

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 1, 000 per tola in the domestic market on Tuesday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 251, 900 per tola today.  It was traded at Rs 252, 900 per tola on Monday.

The price of silver, however, has increased by Rs 15 and is being traded at Rs 3, 600 per tola.