Production doubles, lack of sell worries kiwi farmers of Khotang

Khotang, Dec.3:  Kiwis have ripened luxuriantly on the farm of Dhan Kumar Rai of Phedi, Kepilasgadhi Rural municipality, Khotang. 

Rai, who started cultivating Kiwi years prior, is the first kiwi farmer in the district.

Previously, he used to sell Rs 400 per kg kiwi, but this year his ripened kiwis are left in the tree. 

It is estimated that around 4,000 kilograms of kiwi have been produced on his farm. 

Last year, Rai, who has been producing kiwi saplings, made Rs 1.4 from saplings only. 

Because of a lack of selling prospects this year, Rai is all mustered up to utilize his produce by making wine, whiskey, and juice of kiwis. He has cultivated kiwis in around 25 ropani of land. 

Likewise, Dorji Sherpa of Mudhe, Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality-2, has cultivated kiwi in around 60 ropani of land. 

Sherpa has been in kiwi farming for 11 years and this year only he has produced around 11,000 pieces of kiwi. 

His produce is sold in Diktel Bazar, Haleshi, Dharan, Biratnagar, and Kathmandu. 

Kiwis are being sold in local shops for round Rs 100 to Rs 150 per kilogram. 

Sherpa said that the kiwi which was sold from the farm in the past, this year they themselves are taking it to market for sale after bearing the transportation costs themselves.

Sherpa said, "There are a375 trees of kiwi in my garden. One tree yields around 150 kgs of kiwi. I have sold kiwi from two trees only. It is less likely to sell kiwis from all trees. I have contacted various places, Dharan, Biratnagar, and Kathmandu, where I had previously sold. They are also hinting at lack of market, if kiwi is not sold then I am thinking of making wine, juice from it."

Sherpa is worried as the possibility of selling kiwi is less likely. 

Shubhachandra Rai, an owner of  Shuva Agriculture farm in Talkhark of Nerpa, Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi-6 said that he has produced about 8,000 kilos of kiwi. 

He said that if kiwis are not sold then the alternative is processing but the lack of processing has caused concerns. 

He says that the problem of kiwi farmers will not be solved until they process it and make various dishes like juice, and jam, as the seeds of kiwi cannot be sold. 

'There is no market to sell kiwis, they cannot be kept for a long time because there is no moisture center,' said Rai, 'the problems of farmers will not be solved without processing kiwis and making them into juice and jam.'  

Tej Prakash Jaisi, head of the agriculture branch of the municipality, said that 15 tons were produced last year, and it is estimated that about 40 metric tons of kiwi will be produced this year. Kiwi production is a fruit that increases every year. As it matures, the production also increases. That is why the production has increased this year. Last year, 10 metric tons were sold by the farmers. It will be Rs 1.6 million by selling Rs 160 per kg kiwi. It will be Rs 6 million if 40 metric tons of kiwi is sold for Rs 150 per kg."

It is reported that 15,000 kg of saplings have been planted in an additional 35 hectares in the municipality. Out of this, the municipality has distributed 7,000 plants and the watershed-based climate-sustaining livelihood project has distributed 8,000 plants free of charge to farmers.

Deputy Mayor of Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Bishan Rai said that as the goal of achieving the prosperity of the locals through fruit cultivation has been taken, emphasis has been placed on production, processing, and marketing. 

He said that the construction of the processing center worth more than Rs 10 million is in the final stage at Talkhark of Nerpa, Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi-6. 

Most of the farmers living in the hilly area of the district have recently started commercial kiwi cultivation.

 Farmers who have started commercial cultivation of kiwi said that kiwi trees bear fruit continuously for 50 years but they now remain unsold in the garden. (Translated from RSS)