KATHMANDU: Farmers in Letang-1, Morang, are increasingly replacing traditional crops with commercial coffee farming. Local farmers, including Chandra Bahadur Rai, have been engaged in professional coffee cultivation for the past decade.
Chandra Bahadur, who took voluntary retirement from his teaching career, began expanding his coffee farm in 2015 and currently cultivates 50 ropanis of land. He produces approximately 3,500 kg of processed coffee annually.
Reflecting on his investment of Rs 15 million over 13 years, Chandra Bahadur said, “I invested not for immediate returns but to create a sustainable economic source for the future.”
His initiative has encouraged over 200 local farmers to adopt coffee farming, with some households now generating annual sales ranging from Rs 300,000 to Rs 7 million.
Ward Chair Bishnu Kumar Magar stated that 250 farmers are now involved in commercial coffee production in the ward, with cultivation area expanding by 10 to 15 ropanis annually. Supported by the Koshi provincial government and the Letang municipality, 2,200 coffee saplings were distributed this year.
To improve irrigation, the local government provided 17 water tanks with a total capacity of 49,000 litres and over 13,000 metres of piping.
According to the municipality’s agriculture department, a grant of Rs 1.25 million was received from the Koshi provincial government for promoting orange and coffee farming.
The ward contributed an additional Rs 100,000 to develop irrigation infrastructure. Mayor Bhupendra Kumar Lawati noted that coffee farming provides better income compared to other crops.
He added that the program has helped create local employment opportunities and contributed to controlling migration from the area.
