The produced juice has started being sent to markets such as Galkot and Baglung.
What you should know
Women in Tarakhola Rural Municipality have started producing kiwi juice. Five years ago, the women planted kiwis throughout the village in the hope of selling them at a high price, but now they have started making juice because they cannot find a market.
Despite the high production, they have started making juice to prevent kiwis worth lakhs from going to waste due to lack of market.
The women of the Pandherakhola Asturi Agricultural Group in Hilgaun, Tarakhola Rural Municipality-3, were excited after the kiwis they planted in their fields started to grow abundantly. But they are worried when the demand for their produce is not meeting the demand. Deukumari Rokamagar, a member of the group, said that they usually send the kiwis to nearby markets such as Galkot and Baglung.
Although kiwis started growing abundantly in their fields two years ago, they are facing difficulties due to market problems. She said that they have produced more than a thousand bottles of juice this year alone. According to her, the juice has been packaged in 250 milliliter and half-liter bottles and is now being brought to the market.
'We had heard that kiwi would be in high demand and would also be worth the money. Many people said that it would be good and we planted kiwis all over the garden, but now it has not been as expected. It is difficult to find a market. Even if we do, we have not been able to get a fair price.' She said, 'We have started making juice this year. How will the demand be?'
Group treasurer Bhabi Rokamagar said that kiwi juice is now being made through the Singuji Agricultural Produce Processing Center. They have started juice production after receiving seven days of training from Tarakhola Rural Municipality.
Technical management has been done so that the kiwi juice, which is considered useful for health, can be stored for a maximum of 18 months. Chairman Dhan Bahadur BK said that the rural municipality provided a juice pressing machine for Rs. 300,000. He said that since Tarakhola has a great potential for kiwi farming, they have been working to encourage farmers for that.
