High demand for Papaya seedlings

KATHMANDU: The demand for hybrid papaya seedlings produced at the government level has surged following their introduction by the Commercial Insect Development Farm.

According to Kamalnayan Panta, the office’s information officer, seedlings planted on the farm’s land are now ready for sale.

Though the production has been limited, the demand remains high. Out of the 4,000 seeds planted, approximately 3,000 seedlings have been produced.

The farm is currently selling seedlings of the Red Lady variety, a hybrid mango known for high yields and quick growth, which is a Taiwanese seed variety.

The seedlings, planted in the second week of Magh, are ready for planting now, with the ideal planting time set for one more week.

These mangoes are expected to bear fruit within ten months of planting. According to agricultural technician Pawan Kumar Yadav, the hybrid variety yields fruit in the first year and continues producing for two to three years.

However, he noted that production capacity tends to decrease in the following years.

Due to the excellent production potential, farmers have shown significant interest in the seedlings.

So far, there have been requests for more than 4,000 seedlings. The farm has prioritized those who registered earlier for seedlings.

While there were plans to plant in two phases, a shortage of seeds has delayed the second planting, limiting the supply.

The farm initially planted a small number of seeds to prevent wastage, as larger plantings could lead to losses.

The farm has been producing papaya seedlings for the past four years, and with increased demand for the high-yielding and better-tasting hybrid variety, plans are in place to ramp up production in the coming years.

The seedlings are being sold at Rs 35 per piece, with orders coming in from Chitwan, Makwanpur, Dhading, and other districts.