Bhojpur. While other crops are being destroyed due to monkeys, 'Dudhe Pindalu' farming has become a reliable and new source of income for the farmers of Bhojpur.
As the demand and price of Dudhe Pindalu, which is considered tasty and nutritious, is increasing day by day in the local market, the farmers here are attracted towards commercial farming.
As it is used as a vegetable and snack, its demand is increasing in the market. Dhan Bahadur Thapa, a farmer of Bokhim, Bhojpur municipality-5, said that this pindalu is currently being sold at the local market in Bhojpur headquarters and nearby for Rs 50 to 80 per kg.
He says that the farmers have been engaged in paddy cultivation recently as the monkey does not damage it and it provides good income with less effort and investment compared to other crops.
"One to three kg of pindalu is produced from one well-grown plant", he said, "You can get a good income even from a small piece of land. Nowadays, most people in the village have started using pindalu as the main alternative crop."
In most of the rural areas of the district, farmers are struggling to save corn, rice, millet and other crops due to the terror of monkeys. Monkeys can't cause damage as rice is an underground crop. Local farmer Gita Bisht said that because monkeys do not harm and avoid other wild animals, farmers have started planting pindalu in the fields left barren. Pindalu leaves and stems are used as fodder. He informed that Pindalu plant is bought and taken away by the farmers who are raising beetroot.
He says that in the local market, customers prefer Dudhe Pindalu as an organic and tasty snack. He said that farmers do not have any marketing problems as they can be easily sold when they reach the market.
Dairy farming has become a viable option for farmers who are forced to keep their arable land barren due to not being able to control monkeys. After starting to earn good income at low cost, the process of expanding its commercial cultivation in other villages of Bokhimalagayat district of Bhojpur municipality is also increasing.
National News Committee is the official news organization of Nepal.
