Farmers in Barahakshetra Municipality of Sunsari district are increasingly embracing commercial vegetable farming. Land that once remained barren has now been transformed into lush vegetable fields, enabling farmers to earn a good income and move toward self-reliance while staying in their own villages.
Before sunrise, farmers are already in their fields harvesting cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, sponge gourds, cabbages, and other vegetables. Their produce is sold in markets such as Dharan, Itahari, Inaruwa, Barahakshetra, and nearby areas.
Dinesh Rajbanshi of Ward No. 7 has been engaged in commercial vegetable farming on nearly two bighas of land for the past six years. After spending three years abroad, he returned home and now earns a stable income through farming. According to him, vegetable farming allows him to save more than NRs 70,000 per month while comfortably supporting his family.
Similarly, Nitu Rajbanshi and Ramesh Rajbanshi cultivate seasonal vegetables on three bighas of land. They say that while traditional crops like maize and millet once only met household food needs, vegetable farming now provides a significant source of income, generating annual sales of NRs 700,000 to 800,000 under favorable conditions.
In Ward No. 8, Threekune, Yukti Chaudhary operates the “Ritika Agriculture Farm” and cultivates vegetables on four bighas of land. What began six years ago on just one kattha of land has grown into a business generating more than NRs 1 million annually. He uses organic manure from livestock to maintain healthy and quality production.
According to Prabin Lal Shrestha, Information Officer at the Sunsari Agriculture Knowledge Center, various programs are being implemented to promote vegetable farming, including subsidies, improved seeds, irrigation equipment, soil testing, training, and technical support. These initiatives have helped many farmers become self-reliant while increasing production, market access, and income.
Barahakshetra Municipality also provides training, quality seeds, fertilizers, irrigation support, tunnel farming subsidies, and market facilitation. As vegetable farming becomes more profitable, many youths are choosing agriculture over foreign employment, creating jobs and strengthening the local economy.
Although challenges such as irregular rainfall, extreme heat, hailstorms, pests, and diseases sometimes affect production, the use of technologies like plastic tunnels and drip irrigation is helping farmers improve productivity and income.
