Farmers in Bhakimli, Beni Municipality-3, Myagdi, have initiated the district’s first commercial-scale cultivation of the Akabare (Dalle) variety of chili peppers.
According to Sanjeev Bastola, the head of the Agricultural Knowledge Center Myagdi, both individual farmers and farmer collectives in Bhakimli are now engaged in the systematic cultivation of Akabare chilies. He highlighted the region’s favorable agro-climatic conditions as a key factor contributing to the success of the cultivation efforts. This initiative has significantly reduced the dependence on sourcing Akabare chilies from the Terai and eastern hill regions, which previously supplied local markets such as Beni, Darbang, Tatopani, and Galeshwar.
Khim Bahadur Ale Magar, operator of Ganga Livestock and Fruit Agriculture Farm, reported a production of 700 kilograms of Akabare chilies from seven ropanis (approximately 0.35 hectares) of land. This diversification from traditional crops like millet and maize has yielded substantial economic benefits, generating NPR 175,000 in revenue.
Ale noted that the wholesale price of Akabare chilies in Beni’s vegetable markets is NPR 250 per kilogram, and emphasized the superior profit margins compared to conventional cereal crop farming.
Additionally, the Beldhunga Farmers Group has cultivated Akabare chilies on seven ropanis of land, while individual farmers such as Deepak Pun and Diwas Gharti from Chinakhet have also adopted commercial Akabare chili farming practices.
Bhim Bahadur Roka, secretary of the Beldhunga Farmers Group, explained that the group initiated commercial cultivation after successfully trialing Akabare seeds sourced from Taplejung. Nineteen farmers have collectively invested NPR 500,000 each, leasing 35 ropanis of previously fallow land to cultivate Akabare chilies, along with other high-value crops such as kiwi, oranges, potatoes, and establishing nurseries.
The cultivation of Akabare chilies is well-suited to high-altitude regions where daytime temperatures range between 22°C and 25°C, and nighttime temperatures fluctuate between 15°C and 20°C. Bastola also mentioned that Bhakimli farmers received technical and financial support through the Vegetable Cultivation Promotion Program to boost production and expand vegetable farming activities.
