Chitwan, 29 June: Dil Kumari Gurung, a farmer from Devitar Village, falls under Ward No. 29 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City in Chitwan. Devitar is a hilly area where residents engage in farming near the forest edges.
Dilkumari’s family used to grow crops like maize, millet, and vegetables in their hillside farm. However, protecting those crops from wild animals coming from the jungle was a constant struggle. Monkeys, in particular, had made their lives miserable.
Now, she no longer struggles to protect her farm. These days, her field is planted with a crop that monkeys dislike—turmeric (haldi or besar).
“No matter what we grew, the monkeys would destroy it, leaving us helpless. We even considered abandoning the hillside farm. But after switching to turmeric, life has become easier. Monkeys don’t like it at all,” says Dil Kumari. “Plus, selling turmeric has turned out to be quite profitable.”
his year, Dil Kumari sold 1,500 kilograms of turmeric. The turmeric she produced was purchased by the Safal Samajik Udyami Sahakari Sanstha, a successful social enterprise cooperative located in Bharatpur-29, Bhatteri, at Rs. 35 per kilogram. This cooperative buys turmeric from farmers and processes it into dried turmeric powder for sale.
Chhiti Maya Gurung from Bhatteri used to grow turmeric only for personal use. But after realizing it grows abundantly in hillside farms and has good market demand, she expanded her cultivation to 3 katthas (approx. 0.1 hectare).
“Other crops get completely destroyed by monkeys, but they don’t eat turmeric. Earlier, I only grew enough for my own needs, thinking it wasn’t profitable. But after learning it sells well, I’ve filled my hillside farm with turmeric,” says Chhiti Maya. “It’s not too labor-intensive—just apply fertilizer, plant the rhizomes, and it’s ready in 8–9 months.”
According to her, turmeric is planted between February–March (Fagun-Chait) and can be harvested around October–November (Kartik-Mangsir).
In the hilly regions of Kalika Municipality and Ichchhakamana in Chitwan, as well as Devghat Rural Municipality in Tanahun, turmeric farming has been flourishing in recent times. Some farmers have taken it up individually, while others have formed groups to cultivate it.
The Bhateri Cooperative buys turmeric from these farmers, processes it into powder, packages it, and markets it under the brand name Chandra Surya.
The Women’s Group Coordination Committee has been encouraging farmers to form groups and grow turmeric. According to program coordinator Sita Paudel, the committee is working to develop women’s entrepreneurship by supporting turmeric production through new methods. This initiative has been supported by an organization called Heifer International.
“In the hilly areas of Bharatpur, Kalika, Ichchhakamana, and Devghat, most of the land was left fallow. Wild animals made it difficult to grow crops,” said coordinator Sita.
In response, they mobilized women and encouraged them to cultivate crops suited to that terrain. With technical support, they also provided training on agriculture and livestock farming.
“Now, women have started earning good income from turmeric farming,” she added.
According to her, five cooperative organizations across four local levels collect turmeric produced by women and bring it to the Bhateri Safal Cooperative.
There, the turmeric is washed, sliced, ground, and packaged using machines. The cooperative then sells the processed turmeric (besar) in the market at NPR 400 per kilogram. However, by the time the raw turmeric is turned into powder, its weight is reduced by around 80%.
To promote the product, the committee has taken the turmeric to markets in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Butwal, and across Chitwan, said committee chairperson Indra Paudel.
“In Narayanghat, farmers promoted turmeric by applying it all over their bodies to demonstrate its value. In other cities too, we’ve used various methods to promote organic turmeric,” she said. “Many stores still sell Indian turmeric, so we’ve been urging people to prioritize local and organic products.”
Sita, the coordinator, shared that over 500 bighas of land across Bhateri, Chaukidanda, Kusumtar, Ratomate, and Kamalpur in Bharatpur Ward No. 29; Wards 8, 9, 10, and 11 of Kalika; Chandibhyanjyang in Ichchhakamana; and Kafaldanda village in Devghat are now being used for turmeric farming.
Currently, 708 women are involved in turmeric production through organized groups.
Last year alone, they collectively produced 50,000 kilograms (50 tons) of turmeric. Some individual farmers earned up to NPR 350,000 per season. Many also farm individually outside of the groups, and the cooperative purchases their harvest as well.
“This year, more turmeric has been planted than last year,” Sita said.
According to Madhu Maya Gurung, Chairperson of the Safal Cooperative, women working through organized groups have seen improvements in their living standards. The income they earn is saved and reinvested in the cooperative.
“Turmeric was grown before too, but not on a commercial scale. People used to grow small amounts and grind it at home mills for sale. Now, production is commercial. With support from the cooperative, it has become much easier for producers,” she explained.
Narayan Bhattarai, Senior Agricultural Development Officer at Heifer International, said the organization has been working to increase women’s income by supporting them in agriculture and livestock. He shared that through turmeric farming, they have provided training, seeds, and fertilizers to improve the lives of women in hilly regions.
“Our goal is to commercialize traditional turmeric farming, certify it as organic, make Nepal self-sufficient in turmeric, and even reach export levels,” Bhattarai said. “By 2026, we aim to empower cooperatives to handle this work independently.”
He also mentioned that efforts are being made to ensure farmers get fair prices by coordinating with local governments, the Women’s Group Coordination Committee, and businesses.
