KATHMANDU: Women in Mahottari are funding their Tihar festival expenses by selling marigold flowers grown in their home gardens. The income from these flowers has covered the costs for essential festival items, including garlands, bhai masala, and gifts for their brothers during Bhai Tika.

Veena Khatri, a resident of Bardibas-7, Manharipur, stated that the flowers provided a good income, eliminating the need to search for extra funds. She noted that traders visited their homes to purchase the flowers, providing immediate payment. Similarly, Sharmila Pokharel from Bhangaha-4, Ramnagar, earned Rs 2,000 from about 50 to 60 marigold plants. She mentioned that while these plants were originally grown for home decoration, the experience has highlighted the potential for commercial cultivation.

Despite the high demand for flowers during religious ceremonies and weddings throughout the year, commercial flower farming in Mahottari remains limited. According to Rimnath Adhikari, secretary of the Bardibas Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the region remains dependent on flowers imported from outside the district to meet local demand.

Aviral Kumar Mahato, information officer at the Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Mahottari, noted that the local soil and climate are well-suited for marigold cultivation. However, the number of farmers engaged in commercial farming is currently low. ‘If farmers show interest, our office can provide improved seeds and technical support,’ Mahato said.

Currently, a small number of farmers in Balwa, Bhangaha, and Gaushala municipalities are cultivating marigolds on small plots. Traders from Janakpur often purchase these flowers directly from the farms. Local growers expressed that with access to better seeds and technical guidance, they could expand this into a profitable cash crop.