Youth in Dang proves strawberry venture is juicy

By Our Correspondent,Ghorahi, Mar. 5: At a time when youths are going abroad every day in search of employment, a young man in Dang has succeeded in earning hundreds of thousand from agricultural business. 

Birendra Khadka of Ghorahi Sub-Metropolitan City has been earning hundreds of thousands in a season by cultivating strawberries, which is different from traditional agriculture in the district. Khadka, who has been cultivating strawberries on leased land of Swargadwari Ashram in Jhigaura, Ghorahi Sub-Metropolitan City-14, is making turnover of strawberries worth Rs. 1.4 million annually.

He has been cultivating strawberries on about 16 katthas of land.

According to him, he earns an income of Rs. 500,000-600,000 in a season after deducting all expenses. 

Commercial farmer Khadka said that he moved from Rolpa to Dang and started strawberry farming commercially with the aim of doing something in his own place rather than going abroad.

He said, "There is no problem in selling as strawberries are new and not cultivated much in the district." 

He said that a kg of strawberries is being sold at Rs. 800 in the local market.He said that the production has been good this year due to the suitable climate and strawberries worth Rs. 450,000 have been sold so far. 

According to him, around 30 to 40 kgs of strawberries will be sold daily. 

He said that there is no need to take them to the market for sale. As strawberries are considered good for health due to sweetness and nutritional properties, so the general public and businessmen come to his farm to buy it, he said.

He said that it has become easier because the mulching method along with drip irrigation is used for strawberry cultivation. 

Khadka, who has been involved in agriculture for the past half decade, has also been doing flower business in Ghorahi along with strawberry farming.