Cold storage facilities in Nepal

Cold storage facilities in Nepal

Cold storage facilities in Nepal are essential for preserving perishable goods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and meat, by maintaining low temperatures and controlled humidity levels. These facilities, like Valley Cold Store in Kathmandu and Royal Cold Storage in Jhapa, utilize advanced refrigeration systems and insulated rooms to extend the shelf life of stored products. However, they face challenges such as high operational costs, infrastructure gaps, and under utilization due to insufficient supply from local farmers. Both government and private sector initiatives are working to improve these facilities to reduce post-harvest losses and support the agricultural economy.

Here is a detailed overview of each of the top cold storage facilities in Nepal:

  1. Ram Janaki Cold Store, Biratnagar

    • Capacity: 5,000 tonnes
    • Details: Located in Biratnagar, this cold store is designed to store a large volume of food and vegetables. However, it struggles with underutilization due to insufficient supply from farmers.
    • Challenges: High operating costs and low usage (KTM Post).

  2. Ganesh Cold Store, Biratnagar

    • Capacity: 2,000 tonnes
    • Details: This facility faced immediate operational challenges and had to shut down soon after opening due to a lack of customers (KTM Post).

  3. Nepal-India Friendship Society Cold Store, Rangeli

    • Capacity: 5,000 tonnes
    • Details: A newly built facility that has not yet become operational. It was constructed to support local agricultural storage needs (KTM Post).

  4. Kavre Panchkhal Cold Storage, Banepa

    • Details: Known for its role in the Kavre region, it supports the storage needs of local farmers and traders. It is part of the broader initiative to improve agricultural infrastructure (Directory of Nepal).

  5. Royal Cold Storage Pvt. Ltd., Birtamode, Jhapa

    • Details: The only cold storage facility in the eastern part of Nepal, catering to fruits, vegetables, dry fruits, and dairy products (Directory of Nepal).

  6. Nepcool Industries Private Limited, Kathmandu

    • Details: Located in Kathmandu, this company specializes in manufacturing cold storage rooms and transport refrigeration systems, providing crucial infrastructure support (Directory of Nepal).

  7. Valley Cold Store Pvt. Ltd., Kathmandu

    • Details: A well-established facility in Kathmandu, known for its extensive range of stored products including various meats and seafood (Directory of Nepal) (Directory of Nepal).

  8. Manokamna Shit Bhandar Pvt. Ltd., Sunsari

    • Details: Serving the Sunsari region, this facility focuses on providing cold storage solutions for local agricultural products (Directory of Nepal).

  9. Ranjitkar Cold Storage Pvt. Ltd., Sarlahi

    • Details: Important for local farmers, this cold store aids in reducing post-harvest losses by providing adequate storage facilities (Directory of Nepal).

  10. Sapta Koshi Cold Store, Saptari

    • Details: Supports the storage needs of Saptari district, focusing on agricultural products and ensuring their freshness for longer periods (Directory of Nepal).

  11. Durga Cold Stores Pvt. Ltd., Makwanpur

    • Details: Located in Makwanpur, this facility offers significant storage capacity for various agricultural products, helping local farmers manage their produce better (Directory of Nepal).

  12. Pradhan Mini Cold Store, Chitwan

    • Details: Situated in Narayangarh, Chitwan, this mini cold store supports local farmers by providing essential storage services for perishable goods (Directory of Nepal).

  13. Pashupati Aloo Bhandar, Kathmandu

    • Details: Specialized in potato storage, this facility ensures the availability of potatoes throughout the year in Kathmandu (Directory of Nepal).

  14. Nepal Cold Stores and Ice Industries, Kathmandu

    • Details: This facility offers a range of services including cold storage and ice production, supporting various industries in Kathmandu (Directory of Nepal).

  15. Kohinoor Cold Stores, Balaju, Kathmandu

    • Details: Renowned for its reliable services, Kohinoor Cold Stores cater to a broad range of storage needs in the Kathmandu area (Directory of Nepal).

  16. Cold Store in Tehrathum, Udaypur, Sunsari, Morang, Bhojpur, Dharan

    • Combined Capacity: 1,800 tonnes
    • Details: These cold stores were constructed with the support of the Koshi provincial government to address the needs of farmers across multiple districts (KTM Post).

  17. Cold Store in Ilam, Sunsari, Solukhumbu, Jhapa

    • Details: Under construction with the aim to enhance local agricultural storage capabilities once operational (KTM Post).

  18. Cold Storage in Kamalamai Municipality, Sindhuli

    • Capacity: 360 tonnes
    • Details: Constructed 15 years ago, this facility initially stored sweet oranges and potatoes but is currently not in operation due to high costs (KTM Post).

  19. Cold Storage in Diktel, Khotang

    • Details: This facility remains unused due to insufficient local farm products, highlighting the challenges in maintaining such infrastructure in remote areas (KTM Post).

  20. Cold Storage in Parbat

    • Details: Multiple facilities in Parbat were constructed with government and cooperative investments. However, many are not operational due to technical issues and inadequate local produce (KTM Post).

These cold storage facilities are critical for preserving perishable goods and supporting local agriculture, though many face significant operational challenges.