Bhojpur, November 15
Farmers in Bhojpur have increasingly turned to ginger farming after growing problems caused by monkeys have made it difficult to cultivate traditional food crops.
As monkeys continue to damage crops such as maize and millet, farmers have started adopting ginger cultivation as an alternative source of income.
Geeta Khadka, a farmer from Bhojpur Municipality-6, said she had started growing ginger as the monkey problem worsened. According to her, ginger is relatively safe from monkeys because its rhizomes grow underground. She said commercial ginger farming could generate better returns than traditional food crops.
Khadka said she was attracted to ginger farming because it was comparatively easier to protect from monkeys than other food crops. She added that it had become an alternative for farmers struggling with crop damage caused by monkeys.
Another farmer, Sabitra Pokhrel, has been cultivating ginger on around one and a half ropanis of land. She said she planned to expand the area under ginger cultivation.
Pokhrel said she had prioritised ginger farming after the growing monkey problem made it difficult to cultivate other food crops. She decided to focus on ginger after recognising its potential to generate good income.
According to Pokhrel, ginger sells for Rs 100 to Rs 120 per kilogram in local markets. She said it could also be dried, ground into powder and sold, making marketing relatively easy. With good prices in local markets and the option of selling it in powdered form, the crop also has a lower risk of going to waste, she added.
The growing monkey problem in rural areas has become a major challenge for agricultural production. Monkeys frequently destroy crops such as paddy, maize and millet, making crop protection a major concern for farmers.
Agriculture experts say expanding commercial ginger farming could increase farmers’ incomes, given the crop’s favourable market price at the local level.
