Palpa. Farmers here have been attracted to timur farming as they have not been able to protect their crops from wildlife. Farmers have started cultivating timur as an alternative after monkeys and monkeys started destroying crops including maize and millet planted in the fields.

Geeta Gharti of Satyawati of Rainadevi Chhahara Rural Municipality said that they are looking for such an option as there will be no damage and income while cultivating timur. She said that most of the people here have planted timur in the fields.

“Almost all the farmers here have planted timur in their fields and barren lands and it is not possible to save them by planting other crops in the areas adjoining the forest,” gharti said. According to him, the income from Timur is also getting better.

Gharti, who used to cultivate maize earlier, has now planted 50 saplings of timur in the field. She said that she started cultivating timur as there was nothing left until the time the wildlife came to the place every day.

He said, “Every year, the monkeys and the bulls eat corn in the field and destroy it. I have planted timur as an alternative after the wild animals came to bring back the hard-earned crops,” gharti said. Not only him, most of the farmers here have left their crops and started cultivating timur.

Farmers in Satyawati, Juthapauwa, Baldenggadhi, Chhahara, Deurali, Palungmainadi, Kusumkhola and Phekka villages of Ribdikot have started commercial cultivation of timur under the forest crop.

Budha Bahadur Rana of Thimure Dhustung of Ribdikot rural municipality used to laugh when he first put timur on the kalna of the field. When timur became a strong source of income, he said, everyone started planting timur to cover the field. More than 2,000 farmers of the district have benefited from the cultivation of timur in the fields, dhik, khoria and forests.

Farmers here earn rs 100,000 to Rs 300,000 annually by selling timur from the last week of June to October-November. Shiva Bahadur GC, a farmer of Ribdikot-6, Thimire, said he earned Rs 200,000 annually from Timur. He said that timur plants planted on barren land four years ago have now given good benefits.

The demand for timur is high in urban areas due to the increase in the use of organic and medicinal herbs in recent times. Timur has been used in the market to make pickles, cook vegetables, make spices and make medicines. According to the farmers, timur has got a better price because the people living in the market have increased the use of timur than in rural areas.

According to the farmers, timur can be cultivated in most places of Palpa as it can be cultivated in high and wet places. Narayan Dev Bhattarai, chief of the Division Forest Office, said that timur cultivation is beneficial and safe for the farmers at a time when monkeys are attacking other crops.

“Monkeys attack other crops, but timur farming has a safe and long-term benefit to the farmers,” he said. Bhattarai said that once the timur plant is grown, it can be benefited for years. He said that the office also distributes saplings to make the pocket area of Timur. According to him, timur is cultivated in different places of Purba Khola and Nisdi rural municipalities of the district.