Youth of Sindhuli into commercial dragon fruit farming

Bharat Kafle, hailing from Harshahi in Dhudhauli Municipality-6 of Sindhuli, stands as a shining example for many by choosing to stay in his home country and make a positive impact through hard work. At a time when numerous youth are leaving their homeland in search of better opportunities abroad, Kafle's decision to invest in his own country's potential is commendable.

Kafle has ventured into dragon fruit farming, a venture that has proven to be successful. Apart from generating a substantial income, he has created employment opportunities for five family members. Recognizing that commercial farming not only empowers families but also contributes to the nation's growth by inspiring others, Kafle has reaped rewards from his efforts. He shared, "This year, I earned Rs 1 million from selling 20 quintals of the fruit in five stages at Rs 500 per kg, and Rs 300,000 from selling fruit saplings. Over 4,000 saplings are in stock in the nursery."

Over the past two years, Kafle has earned Rs 1.3 million by cultivating dragon fruit on eight katthas of land. He expanded his farming to 18 katthas of land, planting 3,500 saplings supported by 930 poles. Presently, around 900 plants are bearing fruit. Kafle's innovative approach has yielded remarkable results. He emphasized, "Each plant produced fruits up to 17 times a year since the first year of planting. From May 15 to November 15, the fruit can be harvested three times a year. From the first year of planting, it produced eight kg of fruits per plant and up to 45 kg per plant from the third year."

Driven by his successes and motivated to contribute to his community, Kafle has expanded his dragon fruit cultivation and started selling saplings as well. He received a subsidy of Rs 200,000 from the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Sindhuli, which enabled him to support his fruit saplings with 200 poles. Looking ahead, Kafle intends to further expand his cultivation this year. He also pointed out that the lifespan of a sapling exceeds 25 years. He has specifically planted the siam red variety of dragon fruit.

Kafle and his family manage all aspects of their cultivation and market operations, from expanding cultivation to bringing fruits to market. His success has drawn the attention of people from various parts of the country, who visit his farm to gain insights into fruit sapling production, soil preparation, planting techniques, and marketing strategies. While he initially learned about dragon fruit farming from online sources like YouTube and Google, Kafle is now able to provide training in this field.

Reflecting on his journey, Kafle shared his early challenges and the journey to becoming a successful dragon fruit farmer. He recounted, "For plowing the land, we did not have oxen, and it was impossible to plow with a tractor due to the lack of road access. So, my six katthas of land remained barren. After researching fruit cultivation on YouTube and Google, I learned that it does not require plowing and that dragon fruit cultivation lasts for more than 25 years after planting. I started farming myself after learning about a local farmer named Bheshman Shrestha who was practicing dragon fruit farming in Patle, Kavrepalanchok." He went on to receive training in Hyderabad, India and began commercial farming upon his return.

Kafle also emphasized the importance of selecting dragon fruit species that are suitable for the local environment. He advised identifying quality species based on the climate and soil of the area. He stated that the plants he cultivated start bearing fruit 13 months after planting, and he earns around Rs 600,000 annually from selling fruit saplings.

Kafle's fruits and saplings have found markets in local areas as well as districts such as Kavrepalanchok, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, and Kathmandu. He believes that modern technology, combined with meeting the market demand for agricultural products, presents multiple income sources and job opportunities in agriculture. However, Kafle acknowledged that the younger generation often lacks interest in farming due to the perception that it's looked down upon at governmental, non-governmental, and social levels.

In order to promote commercial agriculture and harness its potential, Kafle called on the government to introduce programs that attract unemployed youth to the sector and support their involvement in sustainable commercial farming. Sindhuli's educated youth have been increasingly drawn to dragon fruit farming, and the local Agriculture Knowledge Centre has been providing the necessary technical assistance to promote healthy and versatile dragon fruit throughout the district.

RSS