The cold storage warehouse built in Susta Rural Municipality-4, Nawalparasi, during the tenure of the previous local representatives remains unused due to a lack of planning and preparation. Constructed at a cost of nearly Rs 50m, the facility has yet to serve its intended purpose.
The provincial government invested Rs 37m in the project, while the rural municipality contributed Rs 14.4m, bringing the total investment to Rs 55.2m, according to Susta Rural Municipality Officer Bishnu Prasad Dhakal. The storage facility has a capacity of 1,000 metric tons.
Intended for storing potatoes and onions, the cold storage has become a burden on the rural municipality, where sugarcane and bananas are the primary crops. Only a small number of farmers grow vegetables commercially, and most of their produce is consumed in the local market. The prospect of farmers from outside the municipality using the facility is also slim.
Located about 30 km from the highway, the municipality does not attract many traders. This has raised concerns among locals about why such a large investment was made despite the clear lack of agricultural demand for cold storage.
To encourage the production of potatoes and onions, the rural municipality launched a subsidy program this year. A budget of Rs 1m was allocated for potatoes and Rs 4m for onions. However, farmers have shown little interest. Given this lack of response, authorities are now considering leasing the facility to private traders.
“The cold storage has remained unused for a long time, and the rural municipality cannot operate it either. Now, the only option is to find traders and lease it to them,” said Teknarayan Upadhyay, chairperson of the rural municipality. He added that the storage facility, built without long-term planning, is difficult to bring into operation.
“Our main crops are sugarcane and bananas, yet the facility can only store potatoes and onions. Without suitable agricultural produce, it is unlikely to be used. Why was such a significant investment made in the first place?” Upadhyay questioned.
Local residents argue that the provincial government wasted public funds by failing to assess the feasibility of the project before investing in it.
