Ramghat: Farmers in Ramghat of Bheriganga municipality, Surkhet district, are increasingly turning to commercial litchi farming, moving away from traditional maize cultivation.
According to National News Agency Nepal, this shift comes as local farmers have recognized the profitability of litchi and mango as major cash crops in the area. These fruits have gained popularity among farmers, who are now growing them not only on field edges and nearby open spaces but also in their home yards.
Farmers have found that litchi and mango farming offer promising economic returns compared to conventional crops like maize. In Ramghat, farmers are busy harvesting litchis, plucking bunches of ripe fruits with the help of ladders. Rupa Dhaulakoti of Ramghat-11 shared that her annual earnings from litchi and mango farming, which have become the main source of her family’s income, have been satisfactory. She has planted around 30 litchi trees and 150 mango trees across approximately four bighas of land. Despite strong winds affecting the mango yield, the litchis remained undamaged.
Ripe litchis are sold directly from the orchard at prices ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 150 per kg, providing farmers with a ready market for their produce. Dhaulakoti’s annual income from litchis exceeds Rs 100,000, allowing her to manage household expenses and save. Consumers prefer fruits from domestic orchards, considering them to contain fewer pesticides than imported ones.
Tek Bahadur Dhamala of Ramghat-11, also harvesting litchis from his five ropani orchard, reports an income of around Rs 100,000 despite some pesticide issues this year. He highlights that good returns can be achieved with timely irrigation and care, and the demand for litchi is high.
Most households in Ramghat have two to four litchi trees, and some farmers are expanding cultivation commercially. Dhamala noted that many farmers in the village are now cultivating litchi due to its low initial investment and market availability. Government support, including fertilizers, technical assistance, and market assurance, has further attracted farmers to litchi farming.
Currently, Ramghat farmers sell litchis in local markets and in areas like Birendranagar, Nepalgunj, and Dang. Suraj BC, head of the Agriculture Development Branch of Bheriganga Municipality, pointed out that wards 11 and 13 are main centers for litchi and mango production, with suitable environmental conditions for cultivation in other wards as well. The municipality is also implementing a grant programme to promote fruit cultivation.
Various fruits are now cultivated commercially in Ramghat, with mangoes on 29.9 hectares, oranges on 3.1 hectares, bananas on 16 hectares, lemons on 7.8 hectares, and litchi on 13.5 hectares. Wards 11 and 13 cover almost 80 percent of the land in Ramghat, highlighting the significant shift towards fruit farming in the area.