RUKUM, JUL 06 -
Small and cottage industries in the district are having a hard time keeping their head above water due to a shortage of raw materials and inability to compete with imported products.

According to Tek Bahadur Pun, president of the Rukum Chamber of Commerce and Industry, more than two dozen small and cottage industries have shut down. They include paper, carpet, soap, garment, textile, juice and jam factories.

Sunil Sharma, branch officer at the Office of Small and Cottage Industries, said 271 factories out of the 710 registered at the office had closed down. The rest are facing financial problems as they have been unable to sell their products.

Janasewa Nepali Paper Industry of Bojeri, Pokhara has been out of operation for the last two months leaving its 200 workers jobless. According to proprietor Gopi Ram KC, they had to shut down for lack of raw materials and a flood of imported goods in the local market.

Harka Singh Lamichhane, a textile producer in Chaurjahari, said he had to shut down his factory because of cheaper imported garments.

Surya Bahadur Nepali, a footwear trader in Musikot, said sales of local shoes were declining even though they were better in quality than imports.

Posted on: 2010-07-07 08:03

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