Syangja. Tulsiram Bhandari of Chapakot Municipality-1 in Syangja district has been earning more than Rs 500,000 in a season from commercial floriculture. He is also a former teacher and has been involved in flower farming targeting the Dashain and Tihar festivals.

Bhandari, who retired from the teaching profession last June, said he has been involved in floriculture by utilizing his free time. He said that the saplings are planted in two phases targeting the Dashain, Tihar, Chhath and other religious ceremonies. He added that floriculture has been planted in three ropanis of land targeting the Dashain and Tihar festivals and two more ropanis of land to be produced after November.

“Even when I was in the teaching profession, I used to do flower farming in small quantities in the morning and evening,” he said, adding, “I got involved in full-time commercial floriculture after seeing good income from floriculture.” ’

Bhandari said that he started cultivating marigolds as an alternative after monkeys destroyed his crops. He said that the commercial production of floriculture as an alternative to cereal crops has not been able to meet the demand. “The demand for marigolds and garlands has been high. The flowers produced here are easily sold in local markets including Butwal, Narayangadh, Bardaghat and Pokhara.

He has planted a flower of the ‘Karma 555 Marigold’ variety. He is supported by his wife and son. He said that his sons have been transporting the flowers produced here to the places where there is demand for the market or sending them by vehicle.

Bhandari said the flower stalks are sold at Rs 300 per kg in bulk, Rs 400 to Rs 450 per kg in retail and Rs 90 per garland. He said that both garlands and flower stalks are sold based on the demand of the customers.

According to Bhandari, flowers and garlands worth around six lakh rupees have been sold so far this year. He said that even after Tihar, there is demand for flowers and garlands from Butwal and local markets. “The saplings planted in the month of June have started producing from Dashain”, he said, adding that the flower planted in the second phase can be produced by November. ’

Last year, he earned more than Rs 5 lakh from the sale of flowers and garlands in a single season and this year he has set a target of earning Rs 10 lakh.