38,200 US dollars have entered Nepal from the first export.
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French fries (frozen potato chips) produced from Nepali potatoes have begun to be exported to the US. French fries of the brands 'Himalayan Crisp' and 'Hamro Fries', produced in Butwal using modern technology, reached the Kolkata port of India last week via road.
Two containers carrying 42 tons of French fries will reach the US from there in 55 days by sea, said Krishna Poudel, owner of First Choice Foods Pvt. Ltd., informed that Nepali French fries have been exported to the US for the first time, and said, "38,200 US dollars have entered Nepal from the first export."
First Choice Foods claims that the industry, established 5 years ago in Mainhiya, Shuddhodhan-5, Rupandehi, has replaced 75 percent of the French fries consumed in the Nepali market within a year of starting commercial production. Products exported from Nepal to the Indian market have also started being exported to the US. Owner Poudel said that they will soon be delivered to the UK, Australia, Japan, Dubai, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. He said that preparations are underway with the aim of completely replacing foreign imports within the next one year.
‘We are producing with the capacity to produce two tons of French fries per hour using state-of-the-art European technology,’ said Poudel, the owner of First Choice Foods. ‘It is a matter of pride for us to bring ‘French fries’ prepared from potatoes produced by Nepalese farmers to the foreign market.’ Stating that the industry, spread over an area of about 5 bighas at a cost of about two billion rupees, has started production with an investment of more than one and a half billion rupees, Poudel said that further capacity expansion work is also underway.
Owner Poudel said that the industry has increased production to the point where it is exporting 2 to 3 containers every week after receiving a demand of 40 containers from the US alone. The shelf life of ‘French fries’ is up to 18 months. According to the Bhairahawa Customs Office, ‘frozen food’ worth more than 10 billion rupees is imported into Nepal every year. More than 200 Nepali workers have been employed at First Choice Foods. The industry is delivering its products to consumers in the Nepali market through 5 distributors, 12 chain restaurants, 150 suppliers, more than 400 restaurants and 171 modern marts.
‘The industry has also put in place state-of-the-art ‘cold chain’, ‘packaging’ and ‘quality control system’ for potato processing,’ Poudel added. Before exporting to the US, the company’s products were quality tested by the US ‘Food and Drug Administration’ (FDA). Bhairahawa Customs Chief Neupane said that export permission was granted only after the standards were met.
This industry has been purchasing thousands of metric tons of potatoes every year in collaboration with more than 35,000 farmers from 26 districts. Operator Poudel said, ‘The industry itself provides seeds, fertilizers, training and technical support to farmers. We go to the farm and buy.' The industry is currently producing 'French fries' as well as 'Critical Cut', 'Smiles', 'Hash Browns', 'Smoky Bites', Aloo Tikki, 'Veg Sticks', 'Burger Patties', and 'Potato Wedges'.
