Pyuthan self-sufficient in flower production

By Our Correspondent

Pyuthan, Oct.18: For the past five years, flowers needed for Tihar have been available in the district.

Since Radha Adhikari and Rekha Khatri of Pyuthan Municipality-4 Jumri started cultivating flowers, requisite flowers have been produced for Tihar every year.

Radha Adhikari said that they started floriculture after seeing the potential of flower business and so far it has been good.

"It's been five years since we started farming," said Adhikari. " Demand for flowers is also increasing gradually."

Flowers have been cultivated by renting three ropanis of land. She said that she is producing both flower saplings and flowers.

Adhikari said that annual income from flower cultivation is about Rs. 100,000.

She expects that the income will be high this year as flower production is comparatively better this year than last year.

According to Adhikari, vegetable cultivation is done during the time apart from flower cultivation.

"Now we have produced saplings by bringing seeds from Chitwan," she said. "The flowers are better than last year."

She said that the seeds of good quality were brought from outside the district as there was no good yield when using local seeds.

She said that although marigold flowers are good, Makhmali flowers have been damaged by heavy rains.

She said that there is a plan to sell a flower garland at Rs. 200 in Tihar this year.

"Garlands for Tihar will be a little longer, so we have fixed a higher price," she said. "We have been selling ordinary garland at Rs. 150."