Aathabiskot distributes subsidised kiwi plants

By Our Correspondent,Rukum (West), Feb. 19: Like in the past years, Aathabiskot Municipality of Rukum West has distributed kiwi plants in subsidy. 

According to the municipality, it has provided subsidised kiwi plants to the farmers to connect them with kiwi production as there is a high potential of kiwi cultivation in the area.

According to Mayor of the Municipality, Rabi KC, around 20,000 kiwi plants have been purchased and distributed this time.

The kiwi seedlings of Golden and Hayward varieties brought from Ramechhap have been distributed to the farmers with 50 per cent subsidy.

According to KC, the kiwi seedlings have been distributed to the farmers of wards 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 11 and 12 within the municipality.

With the aim of encouraging farmers to commercialise kiwi cultivation, the municipality has been providing kiwi seedlings at a concessional rate.

"Production is the basis of prosperity. So, the municipality is trying to achieve economic prosperity by connecting farmers to commercial production," he said.

He said that the plants were purchased according to the demand of farmers who want to do commercial kiwi farming.

He said that the municipality has prioritised kiwi production with the aim of making it self-reliant in its production.

Mayor KC informed that distribution of seedlings, planting and other technical works are being done with the participation of agricultural technicians.

Farmers have also started taking seedlings and planting them.

Gangaram Chanara of Aathbiskot Municipality-10 said that the work of planting the seedlings was forwarded according to the advice of the technicians.

According to him, after the kiwi plants planted in the past have started giving good yield and getting a market, the farmers are attracted towards kiwi cultivation.

Chanara said that he plans to bring 50 plants from the municipality and plant them this year.

After the local government emphasised on kiwi cultivation, the number of farmers cultivating kiwi in the municipality has increased.

In the previous years too, the municipality had distributed subsidised kiwi seedlings to the farmers, and the farmers themselves had purchased and planted additional seedlings.

Last year alone, 2,100 kiwi plants were planted inside the municipality.

The municipality informed that among the plants provided by the municipality some years ago, around 1,700 kiwi plants have started to give fruit.

Kiwi produced by farmers is purchased by Karnali Beverage Industries Private Limited located in Aathbiskot Municipality-12.

The municipality said that it has helped the farmers in covering the cost of transporting the kiwis.