Dulal makes sizable earnings from his farmland

BY HARI PRASAD KOIRALA,Urlabari, Sep,1: Laxmi Prasad Dulal, a farmer from Pathari Shanishchare-10, Morang, has set an example that with hard work and determination, one can earn more from their own farmland than by working abroad in the Gulf.

Rice does not grow well in the land next to Dulal’s house because it lies slightly uphill. Initially, he planted sugarcane on 16 katthas of land. However, sugarcane required intensive care and could not be managed alone, especially with the shortage of agricultural labourers in the village. So, he removed the sugarcane and planted areca nut (supari). 

Two years later, he began cultivating black pepper in between the areca nut trees. Sixteen months ago, he also planted dragon fruit between the areca nut plants. At present, the dragon fruit has started generating income. Once the dragon fruit season ends, the areca nut will begin yielding, followed by black pepper.

In the early days, he said farming felt like gambling. “I didn’t start farming by studying books or watching YouTube or Facebook videos about agriculture since two decades ago, those resources weren’t available. I just thought something would come of it, and if not, the small investment would go to waste,” Dulal said.

In 2001, he planted areca nut on 12 katthas of land. Three years later, he planted black pepper on those same trees. Today, with 700 areca nut trees, he earns around Rs. 300,000 annually. 

Last year alone, his black pepper harvest yielded about 40 kgs from 80-81 trees. A local spice industry bought the harvest directly from his home at Rs. 1,200 per kg. The previous year, he had harvested only 12 kgs. Each mana is sold for Rs. 48,000.

Since black pepper is an imported spice crop from India and other countries, Dulal believes there will never be a shortage of market. According to him, Indian black pepper sells for Rs. 2,500 per kg in wholesale.

Encouraged by his success with black pepper, Dulal planted dragon fruit 16 months ago. He used four katthas of empty land and also planted dragon fruit among his areca nut trees spread over a long stretch. 

He exchanged seedlings with Chandra Limbu of Pathari Shanishchare-8, who is engaged in commercial dragon fruit farming. Dulal runs his own areca nut nursery every year, and 880 seedlings, exchanged at equal value, gave him his first harvest. So far, he has already sent 200 kgs of dragon fruit to the market. He said the crop yields up to five times in a single season. 

“The farmer who gave me the seedlings said it would bear fruit only once, but let’s see how it goes,” he said. He has already earned Rs. 60,000 by selling dragon fruit at Rs. 300 per kg.

At his Samriddhi Agriculture Farm, Dulal works himself, with support from his wife and one helper. “You don’t have to be overly ambitious to benefit from agriculture, but the government must respect and support the sector. Only then will it attract the youth,” he said.