Resunga, Gulmi – Bishnu Prasad Bhandari, a leading farmer from Chhatrakot Rural Municipality-5, Khajryang, has faced significant challenges in his off-season cucumber farming due to unseasonal rainfall during the months of Baisakh and Jestha. Bhandari, who operates the Purnima Agriculture and Livestock Farm, has cultivated cucumbers on 28 ropanis of land, employing diverse varieties such as Korean, Japanese, Indian, and Bhaktapure cucumbers.
The heavy rain, which occurred outside the typical monsoon season, has severely impacted his crops, with cucumbers grown outside protective tunnels rotting and being destroyed. Bhandari stated that while he sold a considerable quantity of cucumbers by the second week of Baisakh, the lack of tunnels to shield his crops resulted in losses. He estimates he could have earned an additional five to seven lakh rupees had the cucumbers been stored in tunnels.
“I took the risk of planting cucumbers on open fields because setting up tunnels for 28 ropanis of land is beyond my financial capacity,” Bhandari explained. “While I managed to sell enough cucumbers earlier to avoid major losses, the remaining crops are now spoiled and unsellable.”
Bhandari also voiced concerns about inadequate support from local authorities. Despite other farmers in the area receiving hand tractors through the ward office, Bhandari claims he was left out. "The local and district authorities neither address our issues nor provide necessary support. After being denied a hand tractor, I’ve decided not to seek help anymore,” he said.
Local agricultural officer Pradeep Pantha acknowledged the lack of resources, citing budgetary constraints as the reason for being unable to assist large-scale farmers like Bhandari.
Bhandari’s journey in agriculture has been one of resilience. Starting with poultry farming and meat production, he transitioned into cucumber farming, becoming a prominent figure in the field. Last year, his cucumber sales reached seven lakh rupees. This year, despite the setbacks, he has sold cucumbers worth approximately 30 lakh rupees.
Bhandari’s dedication to farming is evident in his daily routine, which involves weeding, watering, harvesting, and packaging vegetables from dawn until late evening. Through Purnima Agriculture Farm, he has invested around 50 lakh rupees in agriculture and poultry farming.
The story of Bishnu Prasad Bhandari highlights both the potential of off-season farming in Nepal and the vulnerability of farmers to unseasonal weather patterns and insufficient institutional support.
