Campaign to Promote Coffee Farming in Tanahun to Ward Off Monkey Menace

NOVEMBER 4 : An agricultural cooperative in Tanahun district has established a coffee nursery in Lila Chowk of Shuklagandaki Municipality-12 in a bid to promote commercial coffee farming.

It has produced around 10,000 coffee saplings this year in collaboration with the municipality and the National Tea and Coffee Development Board, according to Manraj Gurung, Chair of the cooperative.

Besides providing farmers with the saplings, the cooperative also intends to assist them in marketing, Gurung said

“Coffee farming is sustainable and can be harvested in less time compared to other cash crops, while it can also ward off the wild monkeys that feed on the agro produce.” Locals say wild animals such as monkeys inflict less damage to coffee than other crops.

The coffee campaign aims to utilise the land that is often left uncultivated, thus creating an income generating opportunity for the youths, Navaraj Pandit, Head of Agriculture Branch of Shuklagandaki Municipality, said.  

Last fiscal year, the municipality had distributed 500 coffee saplings. Preparations have been made to distribute twice as many saplings next year.

Coffee produced by the farmers has been sold in the neighbouring districts including Kaski and Syangja. 

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