Investment opportunities in Nepal in the agriculture sector -Part III

Vegetable seed production

A wide variation in agro-climatic regions from tropical to temperate and alpine climates provides opportunities to produce seed of a wide range of varieties. More importantly, the pockets of micro-climates seperated by high mountains provide ideal environments where the risk of loosing parental lines of high value seeds is minimal. Vegetable seed production is undertaken in 15 different areas with the following 4 special areas highly successful in the production of a variety of seeds: Thak Marpha in the Western Development Region (elevation 2516 m.) - cabbage, carrot, cress, peas, turnip, broad leaf mustard; Mushikot in the Mid-Western Development Region (elevation 1460 m.) - onion, radish, cauliflower, peas, turnip, spinach, capsicum, knolkohl; Kathmandu calley in the Central Development Region (elevation 60 M.) - cauliflower, cress, spinach, turnip, radish, broad leaf mustard; sarlahi in the Central Development Region (elevation 60 M) - tomato, egg plant, cucurbits, capsicum, spinach, peas, okra.

Nepal has well qualified vegetable seed agronomists and vegetable seed breeders. The vegetable development division in the Department of Agriculture has many regional farms located in different agro-climatic regions with well equipped production, cleaning and storage facilities. The division can also provide technical supervision and quality control services through well equipped seed testing laboratories.

Very good potential exists in Nepal for the establishment of vegetable seed farms catering to both domestic and foreign markets. Potential markets in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Thailand could be developed successfully. The seed quality standards in these countries are close to Nepalese seed standards. Export markets in American and European countries too could be tapped with the participation of investors from these counntries.