Farmers excited towards herbal farming after receiving grant

By Chandra Pandak Taplejung, July 12: Farmers of Taplejung are encouraged to cultivate herbs. They are excited after receiving grant assistance for cultivation and expansion of herbs.

Division Forest Office, Taplejung has been providing subsidies to farmers for cultivation of herbs. Farmers are eager about cultivating herbs on their own and after receiving financial assistance.

The farmers have also said that the financial assistance has provided great relief for the cultivation of herbs. Farmers who are cultivating valuable herbs, including Satuwa, Lauthasalla, Titepati and Timur have been getting grant assistance.

Farmer Kumar Gurung of Phungling Municipality-9 said that the grant assistance has helped in expanding farming. He said that he started Satuwa cultivation by planting about 4,000 saplings after receiving the grant.  

He informed that 19,000 saplings of Satuwa have been planted at present.

Similarly, Kumar Limbu of Phungling Municipality-8, Dokhu has also expanded his herbal cultivation after receiving the grant assistance. Limbu has also cultivated Satuwa on his private land.

Farmer Sanam Gurung of Pathibhara Yangwarak Rural Municipality-1 has received grant for Titepati farming.

Gurung, who started Titepati farming a few years ago, has started expanding the farm after receiving the financial grant.

Many farmers in the district have become excited about cultivating herbs after receiving such grants for private land. Farmers, who have been receiving grant assistance for the expansion and management of herbs, have been expecting assistance for marketing after the production of herbs.

During the meeting with a team of Division Forest Office, which arrived to monitor and inspect herb cultivation done by the farmers on Sunday, farmers said that they did not have any information about the market of herbs. 

Farmer Kumar Gurung, who has been cultivating herbs, said that he has heard that Satuwa can be sold for up to Rs. 17,000 per kilogram but he does not know where and to whom it will be sold.

He also expressed the view that there should be assistance in marketing of herbs. Most of the farmers in the district engaged in herbal farming are unaware of the market and price of valuable herbs.

On Sunday, a team comprising District Coordinating Committee Chief Tshiring Lama, Chief District Officer Mahesh Kumar Pokharel, Divisional Forest Officer Birendra Shah, Deputy Superintendent of Police Kailash Rai, District Chairman of Community Forest Users Federation Suraj Ojha and others monitored the cultivation of herbs. 

During the monitoring, District Coordinating Committee Chief Lama urged the farmers to make the best use of the grant assistance.

According to the Division Forest Office, the grant assistance of Rs. 250,000 has been provided to various farmers in the current fiscal year 2021/22. According to Lalit Kumar Yadav, Information Officer of the Division Forest Office, the grant has been provided to six farmers cultivating herbs, including Satuwa, Titepati, Chiraito, Lauthsalla and Timur.