Stinging nettle boosts livelihoods in Tehrathum

By Kabiraj Ghimire,Hile, Sept. 22: Stinging nettle (sisnu), once seen as a troublesome weed, is now providing steady income for locals in Tehrathum’s Laligurans Municipality–1.

Every day, Dipendra Basnet heads to the local Chaitey Community Forest to collect nettles. 

On average, he gathers 15–20 kilos, which he sells to the community’s nettle processing centre at Rs. 80 per kilo. 

He does household chores in the morning and evening, and spends his free time collecting stinging nettle. He says the nettle he gathers in his spare time has been earning him a good income

Like him, many locals who once saw nettle as nothing more than a awful weed are now actively engaged in collecting and selling them. Some have even started nettle farming in the village.  For these communities, nettle has been transformed from an irritant weed into an economic asset.

A community-led initiative

The Chaitey Community Forest has started turning nettle into powder and dried shoots, creating a new income source in the area.  Out of 365 hectares, about 10 per cent already grows wild nettles, and to increase its production, the community forest has begun commercial farming on one hectare of land since last year. 

At present, 40–50 kilos of nettle are collected daily. From this amount of nettle, only 5–6 kilos of nettle powder is produced.  Villages take turns harvesting nettle, as the project is still in its early stages. 

“We are working on quality testing and packaging. Once that’s ready, we can process up to 400 kilos daily,” said Community Forest chair Indra Bahadur Khadka. The nettle powder sells at Rs. 2,000 per kilo, while dried shoots are sold at Rs. 2,500. 

To support the initiative, the provincial government has provided drying and packaging machines worth Rs. 1 million under its Herbal Development and Management Programme. 

Growing demand in cities and hotels 

Traditionally, nettles were eaten in rural households, often associated with hardship and poverty.  In recent years, however, they have found their way into urban markets and hotel menus, particularly in tourist hubs like Basantapur.

“Many tourists who visit the area prefer nettle dishes,” said local hotelier Hemraj Baniya. “It has become a favourite choice of our customers.”

Nettle’s rising popularity is not only due to its unique taste but also because of its health benefits. Rich in protein, vitamins A, C, and K, as well as iron, calcium, and magnesium, nettle is believed to help regulate blood pressure, control diabetes, ease joint pain, improve skin health, reduce anaemia and boost immunity. 

Beyond local markets 

The powder produced in Laligurans now reaches hotels within and outside the district. International buyers have also shown interest, though exports have not started yet.

“Demand is already high. Once we expand production, selling won’t be a problem,” said community member Renuka Khadka. She added that locals are being encouraged to grow nettles on both private and community land.

She added that the community is now encouraging both public and private landowners to cultivate nettles to meet the growing demand.  What was once an unwelcome weed that farmers avoided is now fueling a promising cottage industry in eastern Nepal. 

With demand rising in hotels, urban kitchens and even international markets, nettle is fast shedding its reputation as a village nuisance, and emerging instead as a green source of nutrition in rural areas.