June 8: Siddhartha Refinery and Solvent Industries Pvt. Ltd Bhairahawa has started production of ‘Namaste Sunflower’ cooking oil. The industry has been producing Namaste brand soya bean oil since the last 8 years.

“Operating under Siddhartha Group, the industry has installed new technology to produce the sunflower oil,” says Arpit Agrawal, Managing Director of the industry. The sunflower oil is produced by processing raw materials imported from Agentina, Ukarain and Barzil. The industrry's management claims to have reliable laboratory to examine the quality of the product. According to the company, tasks such as packaging and filling are carried out by automatic plant to ensure top quality of the edible oil production.

“The oil produced is at Measurement and Quality Control Office for examination. Sales and distribution will start from Saturday after obtaining the batch number,” informs Agrawal. Presently, the industry has oil production capacity of 500 tons.

The industry will be selling the new product in half and one litre packaging. Agrawal mentions that beside Kathmandu, Namaste Sunflower Oil will be distributed in Bhairahawa, Butwal, Pokhara, Chitwan, Baglung, Nawalparasi, Nepalgunj, Dang, Surkhet, Dhangadhi and all districts of the Western Region.

Siddhartha Refinery and Solvent Industries has invested Rs 350 million in the industry along with the new technology for the production of the sunflower oil. The company informs that it has invested additional  Rs 40 million in the  new technology.