BANKE: Armed with agricultural knowledge and a spirit of entrepreneurship, three soon-to-be-graduated youths are turning their classroom lessons into a blossoming business through flower farming in Nepalgunj, Banke district.

Bedraj Acharya, Asim Sigdel and Chetan KC have ventured into floriculture, cultivating flowers on 10 katthas of land at Futaha, ward no 19 of Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City.

Operating under their initiative, Fit Farm, the trio started the venture with a modest investment, hoping to explore the commercial potential of flower farming. Their journey began with experimental cultivation in the Nepali month of Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August) this year, using flower seeds brought from Chitwan district.

Considering the challenges posed by the monsoon, they selected land with proper drainage to prevent waterlogging. Their early efforts are already bearing fruit.

With demand for flowers rising ahead of the Tihar festival, they have begun receiving advance orders alongside retail sales. ”We are now receiving advance bookings as well as selling flowers at retail,” gushed Acharya, one of the Fit Farm operators. The venture has already generated flower sales worth around Rs 50,000 ahead of the festival, he divulged.

Although orders have come from Butwal, Dang, Kathmandu and Surkhet, the young entrepreneurs are giving priority to customers in their local market. For the trio, the experience has reinforced their confidence in floriculture as a viable business that can generate attractive returns without requiring a huge initial investment. Acharya advised that proper land selection and drainage management were essential for successful flower cultivation.

”Farmers should select land where water does not accumulate. Any excess water must be properly drained or managed,” he told the RSS while explaining the requirements for floriculture. The budding entrepreneurs have also set their sights on cultivating watermelons and strawberries, they revealed their future plan.

According to them, social media has become their primary marketing tool, helping them reach customers, promote their products and secure advance bookings.

The initiative also highlights the growing scope of commercial flower farming in the district where flower farming currently covers around 13 bighas of land, according to Bindu Chharti Magar, former member of the Floriculture Association.