The second Suntala Mahotsav has started from Saturday in Kataujepani of Rainadevi Chahara-5 Muzung, the orange pocket area of ​​Palpa.

Inaugurating the festival, Speaker of Lumbini Province, Tularam Gharti, said that orange cultivation would be suitable to prevent the migration of youth abroad by developing the area where oranges are produced as a pocket area. Along with Palpa, oranges will be cultivated in different places of neighboring Gulmi and Arghakhanchi, Pyuthan and emphasized that this area should be taken as a corridor.  In the

festival, as part of the diversification of orange production, wine, homemade liquor, juice, jam, sweets, jelly, etc. have been produced and sold. 

Agricultural Knowledge Center, Orange Breed Fruit Development Center, Prime Minister's Agriculture Modernization Project, Orange Zone Office have provided necessary consultation and information regarding orange planting areas, soil testing, pest control, and orange cultivation. But the attraction of farmers was not seen in the festival. 

More than a thousand farmers are cultivating oranges and only a few farmers from this area came for consultations including soil testing. Dan Bahadur Kunwar, coordinator of the festival organizing committee, said that the agricultural technicians informed the farmers about the precautions to be taken while planting and pruning, the care of orange orchards and the use of fertilizers.

Rukmangat Bhattarai, chairman of Rainadevi Chhahara Rural Municipality, said that by farming oranges, the village can earn lakhs of rupees annually and migration can also be prevented. He said that Rainadevi Chhahara Rural Municipality has given 30,000 orange seedlings as subsidy in the current financial year. Narayan Bahadur Karki, Chairman of Ribdikot Rural Municipality, said that the migration of 22 families in Mainadi area was stopped due to the orange festival held last year. 

Kanta Adhikari, vice chairman of Ribdikot Rural Municipality, said that many people have been able to earn cash by cultivating oranges. Lekhnath Pokharel, chief administrative officer of Ribdikot rural municipality, said that he believes that the festival will be successful in instilling enthusiasm among the farmers. 

Although there are 25 stalls in the Orange Festival, some stalls are empty. Although the farmers of Muzung and Amalawas brought oranges to sell, they were not brought from Mainadi area. An orange festival has been organized in Katoujepani of Muzung under the initiative of both rural municipalities. 

Bir Bahadur Rana, a member of the Lumbini State Assembly, understood the problem of orange farmers and said that the role played by the municipality in its propagation and promotion is important. Lumbini Provincial Assembly member Ramji Ghimire said that even though the farmers' cash crops are orange, there should be no complaint that the concerned bodies have not paid attention to solving the problems.

At the Orange Festival, Constituent Assembly Member Leela Somai said that from Harthok to Panini Rural Municipality of Arghakhanchi, it should be developed as orange pocket, orange corridor. District President of Congress Himaladat Shrestha, District Coordinator of Maoist Center Rajendra Bishwakarma, Acting President of National Independent Party Suman Gayre, District President of RPP Dul Bahadur Kunwar, District President of Rashtriya Jan Morcha Vishal Darlami, Chairman of Purvkhola Rural Municipality Nun Bahadur Thapa, Former Chairman of Ribdikot Rural Municipality Narayan Bahadur GC, Chief District Officer Toy Narayan Subedi, Lumbini State Chief Minister Public Relations Advisor Ram Bahadur Raut and others to the youth who have gone abroad He emphasized on the need to improve the living environment in the village by making Suntala an entrepreneur.  On the occasion of