What you should know
For the first time, Akbare variety of chilli has been cultivated using mulching technology in Dhawalagiri Rural Municipality of Myagdi.
Omraj Magar, owner of Dhaulagiri Agriculture and Poultry Farm in Dhaulagiri-7 Shivang, has cultivated chillies in six seedlings.
'In order to prevent the growth of weeds in the place where chillies are planted, we have adopted the mulching technique of covering the ground with plastic, except where the plants grow,' he said.
He has invested 250,000 for chilli cultivation. Amrit Thapa, a technician from the agriculture branch of the rural municipality, said that there was no Akbare cultivar commercial cultivation in Dhawalagiri before.
Chilli was cultivated only for household purposes. Farmer Magar said that Akbare cultivated chilli because of the market potential.
Akbare chillies are sold at the rate of 250 per kg in the local market. At present, Akbare chillies are imported from Terai and Eastern Hill districts in Myagdi. Akbare chili can be cultivated in the geography of high mountains and lowlands where the temperature is 22 to 25 degrees Celsius in the afternoon and 15 to 20 degrees Celsius at night.
30-year-old Magar has become self-employed by cultivating chillies as well as kibikheti, poultry and goats instead of foreign employment and traditional farming. Magar is a karate player. There are 70 kilos of plants in his garden. Last year, they sold 3,000 kilograms of Kibi.
