Garlic worth Rs. 3.6 million sold from single ward

By Our Correspondent,Rukum West, May 29: Garlic worth more than Rs. 3.6 million has been sold from a single ward of Musikot Municipality-10 in Rukum West in one season.

Garlic worth Rs. 3.612 million was sold from Jhang, Jhandari, Kharsupani, Chaur, Galampati, Namunabasti and other villages of Musikot Municipality-10.

According to ward chairman Dhan Bahadur Khadka, around 289 quintals of garlic were sold out of 489 quintals of garlic produced in the ward this season. 

He said that the garlic was sold at the rate of Rs. 125 per kg. He said that 100 quintals of garlic were purchased by the traders from Kathmandu and 89 quintals from Pokhara. 

Three traders from Rolpa and Dang have bought and kept 100 quintals of garlic. Similarly, 200 quintals of garlic are kept by the farmers themselves. They kept the garlic at home as seed for the next season's plantation.

According to Khadka, about 150 farmers of this ward have been cultivating garlic commercially. Of the total farmers who are cultivating garlic commercially, a single farmer has sold garlic worth more than Rs. 113,000 in one season, he said. 

Farmer Indra Kumar Khadka said that he sold nine quintals of garlic and received Rs. 113,000. He said that traders from the urban areas came to the village and purchased garlic at a reasonable price. 

Another farmer Khim Bahadur Oli said that he sold 824 kg of garlic worth Rs. 103,000. 

He said that it was beneficial to cultivate garlic on the land where wheat was cultivated before. 

The number of garlic producers in the village is increasing as the ward office has managed the environment for traders to come to the village, he said.

Garlic has been produced in this ward since 2075 B.S. In the early years, traders from Dang used to buy garlic from here. 

From this year, traders from Pokhara and Kathmandu have started purchasing garlic. 

After five businessmen came to buy garlic and agreed on the price with the farmers, the garlic was sold together. 

In addition to garlic, oranges, lemons, ginger, cardamom and other crops are produced in this area. Musikot Municipality has also declared the ward as a garlic pocket area.