Tea cultivation expands in tourist areas

Tea cultivation has been initiated in the tourism area of Aamchok Rural Municipality to boost local income and promote tourism in Bhojpur. The project involves greening 14 plantations with significant tourism potential, contributing to the rural municipality's overall economic growth. The initiative, started in 2017/18, aims to utilize vacant land to expand tea cultivation and attract tourism. 

According to Ashok Rai, Chairperson of the rural municipality, “The municipality has invested Rs 45m so far.” Tea farming has been expanded in Wards No. 1, 2, 3, and 6, where the climate is suitable for cultivation. Rai emphasized the long-term plan to develop tea plantations, utilizing vacant land with strong tourism potential. 

“The municipality has systematically expanded tea cultivation over the past six years,” said Rai. “We aim to boost income and tourism by making good use of the vacant land. So far, about 1,400 ropani have been cultivated.” He believes the higher areas of the municipality have great potential due to favorable climate and geography. Programs are being conducted to encourage locals to plant tea on their private land.

Rajinkumar Rai, a local farmer from Balankha, noted that the higher areas are ideal for tea cultivation. “The municipality has encouraged us to expand tea farming, both for income and tourism.” The Aamchok Tea and Coffee Cooperative has been formed to manage the project systematically, with shares distributed to local residents, especially those with weak financial means. Of 10,000 shares, 9,000 were distributed by the village council, and 1,000 were allocated to poor and underprivileged families in the ‘D’ category.

According to municipal data, shares have been distributed to 1,163 extremely poor families in the affected areas. The rural municipality plans to establish a tea development organization once the necessary laws are in place.

Chief Administrative Officer Dhankumar Rai stated that a tea factory is being established in Ward No 2 to process the tea. The factory, funded by Rs 4.5m from the municipality and Rs 10m from the Koshi state government, is nearing completion.

“The work of expanding tea cultivation is ongoing, and the tea processing factory is in its final stages,” Officer Rai said. The municipality is also developing its own tea nursery, producing around 500,000 plants for the upcoming season. Along with tea, efforts are being made to expand coffee cultivation, with a coffee nursery also under development.