Matrikaprasad Sharma, a farmer from Damek in Baglung Municipality-2, has built a growing kiwi enterprise after his investment in cardamom failed. What began as kiwi cultivation on five ropani of land has expanded to 25 ropani, and Sharma earned Rs 400,000 from kiwi sales last year. His shift to the fruit followed a return to Nepal after two years working in Malaysia and an unsuccessful start in cardamom farming.
From overseas employment to farming
Sharma had spent two years in Malaysia for employment before returning home. After coming back, he initially leased 30 ropani of land to cultivate cardamom. That investment did not succeed, prompting him to move away from the crop and try kiwi farming instead.
The change marked a new direction for Sharma’s work in agriculture. Rather than continuing with the crop that had failed, he began growing kiwi on five ropani. The available information does not specify what caused the cardamom investment to fail, but it establishes the failure as the turning point in his decision to pursue another crop.
Kiwi cultivation expands to 25 ropani
Sharma’s kiwi farm has since grown from its initial five ropani to 25 ropani. The increase represents a substantial expansion of the land he devoted to the crop, making kiwi the focus of a farming operation that began after his cardamom venture fell short.
The figures also show how his involvement in farming changed over time. He first tried cardamom on 30 ropani of leased land, then began kiwi cultivation on a smaller area of five ropani. The kiwi acreage has now reached 25 ropani. The reports do not provide details about the varieties planted, the number of vines, or the timing of each stage of expansion.
Sales bring Rs 400,000 last year
Sharma earned Rs 400,000 from kiwi sales last year, according to the information reported about his farming. The income is a concrete result of the crop he adopted after the cardamom investment failed. The reported amount refers to sales; no further details are available about production costs, profits, sales volumes or the price received for the fruit.
The account of Sharma’s farm links his return from overseas employment with two different agricultural efforts: an initial cardamom venture and a later move into kiwi. His experience is notable for the scale change in the kiwi operation, from five ropani at the outset to 25 ropani, as well as the sales income recorded last year. The available reports do not give additional information about his plans for the farm or whether he intends to expand it further.
Sharma’s story has been reported by Ratopati and Nepal Press.
