With international market available, more youths attracted to coffee farming in Gulmi

GULMI: Coffee farming in Gulmi district has attracted local farmers following surging demand for coffee in foreign countries including Japan and France.

Manoj Pandey and Saroj Belbase of Resunga Municipality-8 have been engaged in the farming since one and a half years ago by planting as high as 20,000 coffee plant saplings in around 200 ropani lands 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 income from it last year.

Around 35 people have got job at the farming during its season. They have also undertaken the task of the procession, packaging and marketing.

Kapila Kharel of Aanpchaur has opened an agriculture and livestock form. Besides a 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 sold over 4 quintals coffee every year. Aanpachaur in Gulmi district is considered to be an origin of coffee production.

Coffee production spread across the country after a local resident Hira Giri in 1995 brought coffee seeds from Burma and sow them, it has been believed. However, commercial coffee farming at Aanpachaur started later after the government brought coffee seeds from neighbouring India and distributed them, said a local Durga Kharel.

Coffees produced in the district have been exported to foreign countries through the District Coffee Cooperatives Association.

Five metric tonnes of coffees were exported to Japan and France every single year, said the Association Secretary Yubaraj Acharya. The Association has generated Rs 6 million in incomes every year for processing and exporting coffees brought from farmers, he said.