Pangrang village Bhaktapure located in Falewas municipality-11 is known throughout the country for the production of cucumber seeds of the local variety. Cucumber seeds worth more than 40 million rupees are sold annually from this village. Mayakumari Pathak, President of Narayansthan Seed Producers Cooperative Society, said that more cucumber seeds are produced in Sirkan lower belt, Amari, Banskot and Karnas in Pangrang gavis of Savik.

According to him, cucumber seeds are the main source of income for the farmers here. 72 farmers are affiliated to the cooperative of which he is the president. They have been producing cucumber seeds in about 200 plantations.

Farmers belonging to the cooperative have grown cucumbers for seeds on their own arable land. Last year, we sold 20 million worth of seeds,' she said, showing the green vegetables grown in the field. Pathak told that the rest of the farmers who are not affiliated to the cooperative are also producing and selling seeds at par with them.

``It should be said that Biu got good money last year . If the seller sold it up to 14,000 per kg, someone sold it for 10,000, this is very good," she said. According to Krishi Gyan Kendra Parbat, 3500 kg of cucumber seeds were sold from Pangrang last year. 'Since they are not connected to the knowledge center, it is not certain how much was produced,' said Sovita Subedi, information officer of Krishi Gyan Kendra Parbat, 'I heard from the cooperative and farmers there that 3500 kg was produced.'

Pathak, who has been the president of the cooperative for 12 years, is also a farmer. She has grown cucumbers for seeds in her 10-planted land . He sold the most seeds in 2061. At that time, she sold 168 kg of seeds at the rate of 1500 kg.

His happiness knew no bounds when he got into agriculture and earned 2 lakh 52 thousand rupees at once. The target is to produce 150 kg of seeds this year. It doesn't matter how much the price will be. If we get a price like Pohor, we would have earned 16/17 lakhs', she said, 'I also produce old rice seeds from Pokhareli . The children are all abroad. At home, the old man and I have been doing farming . Money is earned, it is the greatest joy.'

58-year-old Atmaram Paudel has also grown cucumbers for seed production in his land with 3 plants. He and his wife are the only ones at home and he is planning to harvest 40 kg of seeds this year. "If I could sell it for 10,000, I would get 4 lakhs, even if I sell it for 5,000, I would get 2 lakhs", he said while gossiping about his cucumbers. According to him, it costs about 30,000. Others are profits. He said, "It does not include the wages of my wife and my labor."

He has started seed production since 2059. According to Poudel, 1 kg of seeds can be extracted if 30 Sarlacc cucumbers are cut. "Those who collect seeds should harvest from January 15 and those who sow seeds directly within the second week of February," he said. According to him, after the cucumber turns red and ripens on the plant, it should be picked and kept in a cool room for a week. After that, the cucumber should be cut for another week and dried in the garden without exposure to the sun. "Finally, after drying in the sun for a day, the seeds are ready for sale," he said.

It has been 25 years since Pangrang gained fame in cucumber seed production. Before that, the idea of ​​commercial seed production did not exist in the village . The farmers of Pangrang, who are dependent on subsistence farming, have come to the present situation and there is an interesting incident. Khageshwar Bhattarai, an old farmer of this place, who is now running a company called Himalayan Agro Research Center (HARK) in Kathmandu. He reached Kathmandu from Pangrang in 2062.

"A group including Dr. Shyam Chand, the head of 3SP Project, who works in agriculture, came to Pangrang from Bachha through Voxing. It's 2057 . There was no motorway at that time. "We had to travel on foot", he said, "We were drinking tea in the square". Their group also arrived there. Bhaktapure has cucumber seeds, 40-year-old radish, and tomato seeds, and asked if you would use them.

Bhattarai, an old farmer, says that if Shyam Chand's group had not been met in Pangrang that day, the identity of Pangrang would not be what it is today. We stayed together that night. It was the month of October, the next day sitting in the morning sun, the Narayansthan Seed Producers Group was formed . Surya Bahadur Kunwar became its president and I became the secretary," he said, "In the first year, we planted 1,500 cucumber plants, 45 kg of chamchur, and 2,200 grams of tomatoes of different varieties on three plantations of land. At that time, cucumber seeds were placed on the wall.

The Himalayan Agro Research Center (HARK) Kathmandu, which he operates, buys and brands Pangrang seeds. "Earlier, we used to bring all the seeds there in one lump sum . Now farmers sell them in their own way through different traders', he said, 'now we buy cucumber, tomato and potato seeds from mountain Dhairing, Myagdi and send them to the market with our company's name and logo.

It is also their obligation for farmers to emphasize on seed production more than food crops. In terms of income, farmers can get more profit by selling green cucumbers compared to selling seeds. But their problem is the market. Cucumbers are not consumed in Kushma. When it is delivered to Pokhara, due to the cost of transportation, the price has to be increased', the president of the cooperative, Pathak said, 'They walk from house to house, and they seem to bring the same amount. They promise that it is tainted, crooked, expensive, and not sweet.'