Nepali farmers happy growing strawberries

Kanchha Man Tamang, a member of the Japanese Agricultural In-service Training Institute Nepal, started growing strawberries on his farm in Kakani. He started with six plants, now strawberry farming has spread to over 1,300 hectares in the Nuwakot district. Inspired by Tamang’s success as a strawberry farmer, his neighbours started growing the fruit too.

Strawberry farmers in Kakani and Okharpauwa, in the Nuwakot district, are earning more than ₹100,000 (1,250 euros) a year. These places have a favourable climate and soil conditions for strawberry farming. Kakani and Okharpauwa produce 400 tonnes of strawberry annually, according to the District Agricultural Office. Yearly sales are worth more than ₹60 million (750,000 euros).

The Kathmandu Post reported how the introduction of two high-yield varieties, Ankhime and Eyeberry, and use of tunnel farming to grow strawberries have led to increased cultivation of strawberry. Four years ago, farmers had to bring their strawberries to Kathmandu to sell them. Now they have set up the Strawberry Farming and Entrepreneurship Association that collects strawberries and markets them.