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Youths attracted to coffee farming in Gulmi

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GULMI: Local farmers are attracted to Coffee farming in Gulmi district following a surging demand for coffee in foreign countries including Japan and France. Manoj Pandey and Saroj Belbase of Resunga Municipality-8 in the district have been engaged in coffee farming for one and a half years. They have planted as many as 20,000 coffee saplings in around 200 ropanis of land at Pipalarukh of Aanpachaur. “We started coffee farming with the intension of toiling home instead of flying abroad for job opportunities," shared Belbase. They have invested a total of Rs 5.1 million in the business so far and generated Rs 700,000 in income last year. Around 35 people get employed at the farm during the season. The duo have also undertaken the task of processing, packaging and marketing the product. Likewise, Kapila Kharel of Aanpchaur has opened an agriculture and livestock farm. Besides banana and chicken farming, she has planted 200 coffee plant saplings. "Youths have been attracted to coffee farming as it generates good incomes," said Durga Kharel, who sells over 4 quintals of coffee every year. Aanpachaur is considered to be the origin of coffee production in the hilly district of Lumbini Province. Coffee production spread across the country after local Hira Giri in 1995 brought coffee seeds from Myanmar and sowed them, it is believed. However, commercial coffee farming at Aanpachaur started later after the government brought coffee seeds from India and distributed them, local Durga Kharel said. Coffee produced in the district are exported to foreign countries through the District Coffee Cooperatives Association. Five metric tonnes of coffee were exported to Japan and France every year, said the Association Secretary Yubaraj Acharya. The Association generates Rs 6 million in income every year for processing and exporting coffee brought from farmers, he said. By RSS READ ALSO: