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Started 1 week ago · Updated 1 week ago

Herbs Processing Plants in Shuklaphanta National Park Buffer Zone Lie Unused Due to Market Failure

Photo · english.nepalnews.com

Herbs processing plants established in the buffer zone of Shuklaphanta National Park, intended to boost local livelihoods, have become derelict due to a lack of market access. Farmers who initially benefited from cultivating and processing medicinal plants like chamomile and mint have abandoned the practice as market prices plummeted and traders stopped purchasing their products.

• The unused processing plants, supported by donor agencies, were set up to promote medicinal plant cultivation and reduce human-wildlife conflict.
• Farmers initially earned between Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 per liter for chamomile and mint oils, with traders actively seeking their products.
• Market prices for the herbal oils declined significantly, forcing farmers to sell at Rs 10,000 and later Rs 5,000 per liter.
• By the third year, no traders visited to purchase the herbal oil, leading farmers to abandon cultivation as they could not recover their investments.
• Facilities, including drying sheds, were established in areas like Kasaraul, Juda, and Beldandi within Shuklaphanta Municipality but are now in a rundown state.