Good income from pheasant farming

By Chandra Pandak,Taplejung, Feb. 2: Farmers in Fungling Municipality, Taplejung started making good earnings from pheasant rearing in their firms. For the first time in the district, the farmers who have started commercial pheasant farming have started earning from their business. 

Four youths Naveen Bhattarai, Gopal Bhattarai, Hari Bhattarai and Bharat Karki have started commercial pheasant farming about a year ago. "We are getting good income in this pheasant keeping business," one of the entrepreneurs Gopal Bhattarai said. 

The business is under Pathibhara Worldlife Agro Firm in Fungling-8, Dokhu. Bhattarai further said that Pheasant Cottage Hotel was brought into operation along with the firm. According to him, pheasant farming was started with an investment of around 1.6 million rupees. "About 1.5 million rupees have been invested in the operation and management of Pheasant Cottage," he added.

Naveen Bhattarai, another investor, said that the attraction of the service customers is increasing now that the cottage hotel has been put into operation along with bird keeping. 

According to him, connoisseurs enjoying the taste of pheasant were increasing gradually. "The demand for pheasant has become excessive and we are struggling to supply it according to the demand," he said.

Pheasant firm and cottage tourism area is close to Suketar, so the number of customers is also significant. It is said that pheasant cottage is crowded with domestic tourists. Some have gone to Pheasant Cottage to conclude programmes such as general meetings and conventions of associations held at the headquarters Fungling market area. 

Similarly, it has been found that locals reach Pheasant Cottage for other small gatherings including birthday celebrations.

Almost all the visitors who visit Taplejung prefer to be at this cottage. Some of the visitors have reached the place just to taste pheasant meat and others to observe the firm. 

It costs up to Rs. 4,000 per pot, and the consumers use the price. Although the price of pheasant, which has up to one and a half kilograms of meat, is very expensive at four thousand rupees, consumers do not care about the price because of the new taste.