Lal Bahadur Saru, a yam entrepreneur, said that work is underway to bring the yam produced in the villages to the agricultural produce wholesale market in the district headquarters for sale and from there, the yam is being sent to different parts of the country.
For Maghi and Maghe Sankranti, yams have started being sent from eastern Nawalparasi to major markets including Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan, and Butwal.
Farmers in the northern part of the district cultivate yam commercially and as its demand is high in the month of Magh, businessmen have come to Nawalpur to purchase yam.
The yam produced in the villages is being brought to the agricultural produce wholesale market in the district headquarters for sale and from there it is being sent to different parts of the country, said yam entrepreneur Lal Bahadur Saru.
Farmers are selling elephant-foot yam at Rs 60 to 70 per kg and forest yam at Rs 130 to 150 per kg.
Since yam is cultivated on steep and vacant land, its production is increasing in the hilly areas. Farmers who used to plant two or four plants for home consumption until a few years ago have now taken it up commercially.
Commercial yam cultivation is carried out in Hupsekot, Boudikali and Bulingtar rural municipalities of the district. Last year, 53 metric tons of yam were produced. A farmer in the district has grown up to 26 kg of a single yam.
