Many of us like to eat a variety of foods like ice cream, juice, chocolate, brownies, and strawberries. Demand for this specialty has grown significantly as a result of recent corporate scandals. Not to mention the strawberries that are eaten directly as fruit!
Experts say that the soil here is suitable for growing strawberries in Nepal which is in such high demand. "If we can produce large quantities of strawberries, there is a good possibility of exporting them to the international market," he said.
But not much has been studied about strawberries in Nepal. Initially, a project called Jaiti Nepal, with the financial support of Japan brought six strawberry plants and tested them. After the test was successful, it gradually became commercial. But new cases have not been developed.
Agriculture expert Dr. Rajendra Gautam, on the other hand, has been searching for it for the past three years. Rajendra, who has a Ph.D. in agriculture from an American university, sees good potential for strawberries in Nepal. He is also cultivating strawberries in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Biratnagar, and Chitwan.
"We need to focus on research, not just production," he says.
Rajendra in particular is studying how to increase the volume of production. The Strawberry Research is supported by the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences (IAS) under Tribhuvan University and the Agriculture and Forestry University (FO), Rampur, Chitwan.
'Strawberries of different varieties have been planted in seven dangs. Then the same sequence is repeated again, 'he informed about the method of farming.
By doing research in this way, it is possible to find out which species is suitable in which place and which species tastes sweet in which climate. Research is also focused on the diseases and pests of strawberries and their solutions. They concluded that turmeric, ginger, and various weed juices could be used to control pests.
"Studies are being done on how to control any major disease in an environmentally friendly way," he said.
Rajendra's passion for agricultural research has grown since he settled in the United States. He lived in the United States for seven years, studying and working. There he worked in agricultural research at the university.
The purpose of his return was to conduct research and to give benefits to the farmers.
Rajendra, who had worked in government, non-government, and university sectors when he was in Nepal, had decided where to return and how to work. He thought that he needed a private company to work with without anyone's intervention.
He came to Nepal with his family four years ago. Immediately, he registered a company called 'Samridhi Agricultural Research and Development Pvt.' To study and research high-value crops.
'We don't have research. We have opened a company to create jobs using American technology here, ”he said. The main objective of the company is to research high-value crops, extract plants and sell them to other farmers.
As the research is costly, he is looking for nine more investors. As three out of ten students in the group were agricultural students, they had the courage to do research. Rajendra is the director of the company.
They initially worked on strawberries. Rajendra had brought some varieties of strawberry plants from America. About three ropanis of land was rented in Godavari and Hattiwan. Nepal mainly produces Japanese varieties of strawberries. They began researching whether the American race was better than the Japanese.
'American strawberry seeds are big and tasty. There will also be fun production in the climate here, 'he said.
Hearing that strawberries are not grown in hot places, Rajendra rented some land in Chitwan for testing. He says that even the surrounding farmers are excited to see the strawberries growing there now.
'People there didn't know about strawberries. The strawberry crop was very crowded, 'he said.' Our farm in Chitwan was visited by 2,500 people.
This small experience has made him think that cultivating strawberries on a large scale can also attract tourists.
They have been selling the produced strawberries under the brand name Shaipalberries. Strawberry strawberries can be bought in supermarkets and stores including Bhatbhateni and Salisbury. The company has also brought home a delivery facility. Online businesses are booming and they are building websites soon. Now he is taking orders from Facebook, he said.
They make wine from strawberries when production is high. They used strawberries to make wine, which could not be sold in the market due to the recent ban.
According to Rajendra, depending on the quality, the price of a strawberry plant ranges from Rs 40 to Rs 100. He informed me that it would cost Rs.
The income from strawberries has helped them run the farm. "We don't need much profit, just enough to cover the cost of the farm," he says.
They are now importing strawberry plants from the US, Spain, and India. Among them, all the plants died due to various diseases and insects brought from India. Rajendra also says that it is very difficult to get permission to import plants here.
"When strawberries are produced here, why should they be brought?" He said, "It was very difficult to get permission."
He said that the important commodity required for production is seed or plant and its import should be easy.
"The good thing is that there is no loss by importing from abroad. "If we had a good variety of strawberry, we wouldn't have to import it," he says.
He says the private sector can do research if new breeds are brought in and tested. According to him, it takes seven to twenty years to produce one variety of strawberry plants. Research costs a lot. Foreigners do not send plants to countries where they produce and sell plants without permission, as the royalties from the sale of plants go to the professor concerned.
'I took many initiatives to bring in so many plants. I have been able to bring it only because I am a professor of Chinjan, 'said Rajendra. We have brought a license for that. '
He claims that this is the first time that a company or agency has obtained a license to extract Berna. He says, "I was happy to take the license."
At present, they have planted strawberries in four ropanis in Biratnagar, six in Chitwan, and ten ropanis in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur. Each farm has six employees.
He plans to produce seedlings and distribute them to farmers in the coming days. They are also starting a big farm in Kavre. Blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries will be researched in it, he said, 'Now we will soon start research by planting those crops. The process of importing plants has already started.
He plans to expand his industry as products made from strawberries are being imported from different countries. Seeing them grow strawberries, other farmers have also started asking for seedlings. He informed that the farmers will be sold and distributed after registration.
