Syangja. Two brothers here have started cultivating cucumber commercially. Santosh Poudel and Dipendra Poudel, both residents of Tikaja of Aandhikhola Rural Municipality-6 in Syangja district, have started commercial cultivation of cucumber in Bigkhet of Phedikhola Rural Municipality-4.

Santosh Poudel, a businessman, said that they started their business by renting nine ropanis of land in big fields. Seeing that he could earn a good income from agriculture, Santosh left the manor of the secondary level teacher in the institutional school and joined agriculture commercially.

“This time, we have planted only cucumber on nine ropanis of land,” he said. The cucumbers produced here are now easily sold from the local market and shops along the Siddhartha Highway. Local traders come to the fields to buy the cucumber produced here. He said that the cucumbers produced in the local market were being sold and they did not have to be taken elsewhere.

“Whatever crop÷ vegetables are planted on the ground, we plant only one crop at a time,” he said, adding, “The disease in one crop does not spread to the other and taking only one product at the same time will increase the quantity and the market price will also be good.” ’

There are currently three hybrid varieties of cucumbers – Karma, Kingsar and Starwiz. He said that after taking the production of cucumber planted this time, in the second phase, another crop will be planted on all the land and the land will not be kept vacant for years. At other times, the two brothers work together and hire workers when needed.

So far, Rs 200,000 has been spent on fertilisers, mulching plastic, wires, nets, workers’ wages, medical treatment and equipment, he said. “The target is to produce and sell 30 tonnes of cucumber in 100 days as a large number of commercial cucumber has been cultivated,” he said. A modern farm is being constructed for rearing 3,000 chickens in the same area. He said that preparations are being made to take forward commercial poultry farming along with commercial vegetables soon.

“If agriculture is not linked with technology, the cost will increase, so we have moved ahead with the emphasis on the use of technology to reduce the cost,” he said. ’

Chairperson of Phedikhola Rural Municipality, Ghanashyam Subedi, said that he was happy to see the inspiring youth entrepreneurship. Phedikhola rural municipality provides production-based subsidy by managing the minimum support price,” he said, adding, “The municipality is determined to support such commercial efforts through necessary technical support. ’