Gulmi. In Musikot Municipality of the district, maize flour has been branded and marketed through cooperatives. The production of maize flour was made from the food processing industry established by the Small Farmers Agriculture Cooperatives at Musikot Municipality-3.

Hari Chantel, president of Small Farmers Agriculture Cooperative, said that the demand for maize flour has increased in the market. The National Agriculture Modernization Programme Implementation Unit, Gulmi has provided grant to the industry in some equipment.

The municipality and Agriculture Knowledge Centre had provided Rs 7.3 million and Rs 16.50 lakh from small farmers’ cooperatives for the industry. According to Chhantyal, the amount was spent around Rs 90 lakh from the construction of the factory building to the marketing of flour.

The cooperatives buy maize from farmers at Rs 200 per leaflet and supply it to the market after processing, labelling and packaging. Currently, flour is being sold at Rs 130 per kg. The cooperatives have also packed flour in a 25-kg sack.

The cooperatives have set a target of selling 35 tonnes of maize flour this year, said manager of the cooperative, Bibek Pemi. Around 300 farmers are associated with cooperatives.