KHOTANG, April 23: Ramnidhi Acharya, a farmer of Yamkha in Diprung Chuichumma Rural Municipality, is making handsome money by producing saplings of different fruits and spices in his nursery. Staying within the country, he has set an example for other locals who keep saying that there is no opportunity in village.

The success of Ramnidhi, 59, has inspired his sons Meghraj and Degraj, who were plying their trade in foreign land, to return to their motherland. Ramnidhi has been earning as much as Rs 1.3 million by producing and selling saplings. “Many find it hard to believe, but I am earning as much as Rs 1.3 million annually by selling lime, orange, and cardamom saplings,” Ramnidhi added. 
The income supports his family comfortably.

Ramnidhi sells lime saplings for Rs 30-50 per unit, while orange and cardamom saplings fetch Rs 50 and Rs 10, respectively. He had bought a land plot in Gaighat in Udayapur through his savings. He has currently sown 9 kilograms of lime seeds and 1 kilogram of orange seeds to grow saplings. Saplings are grown inside plastic tunnels.

Ramnidhi, who was involved in subsistence farming, shifted to commercial farming eight years ago. Initially, he produced saplings of different flowers in his nursery sprawled over 10 ropani of land. Ramnidhi has been continuously expanding his farm after registering his firm, RRMD Nursery, two years ago. “Sapling production is easier as it requires less effort compared to traditional crop,” he added.

Saplings grown in his firm are distributed to different parts of the district through Agriculture Information Center. Some farmers visit the nursery itself to buy the saplings. The saplings even reach as far as Bhojpur and Udaypur districts. 

According to Ramnidhi, farmers from Tamlicha, Udaypur, have started orange farming after hearing from others that high quality orange saplings are available in nearby Khotang.
 

HANDSOME INCOME THROUGH VEGETABLE FARMING

Ramnidhi Acharya, a recipient of the President’s Best Farmer Award, is also involved in vegetables farming. He grows cauliflower, broccoli, radish, potatoes, mustard leaf, cardamom, garlic, onion and coriander, among others. He sells over eight quintals of garlic every year.

He also sells onion, cauliflower and cabbage saplings to farmers in Temma, Mattim, Chhorambu, Rajapani, Bijayakharka, Khalle, and Buipa, among others. He produces Rs 400,000 worth of oranges annually.

 
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