DAMAULI: Women in Aandhimul, Aabukhaireni Rural Municipality-1 of Tanahu, are targeting to sell marigold flowers worth Rs 1 million for the upcoming Tihar festival. Forty-five women involved in collective commercial flower farming have expanded their cultivation to 45 ropanis of land.
The group sold flowers worth Rs 900,000 last year. As the fields have turned yellow with blooming marigolds, the women are now busy harvesting, preparing, and storing the flowers. Suntali Gurung, the group’s president, stated that the harvested flowers are kept in a cold storage facility to maintain freshness until they are sold. The flowers are being sold for up to Rs 400 per kilogram.
The local production has helped reduce dependency on flowers imported from outside the region. Kalpana Gauli, an entrepreneur running a gift shop in Damauli, has already purchased 50 kilograms of flowers in the first phase. The collective farming venture has become a significant source of income and a path toward economic self-reliance for the women involved.
Santosh KC, head of the agriculture branch of Aabukhaireni Rural Municipality, noted that there is no shortage of market demand for the locally produced flowers. As demand for marigolds used to decorate homes, temples, and public spaces rises during the festival, the women are managing their production and sales accordingly to meet the requirements.
