Sitaram of Tikapur finds success and identity in floriculture

Ghodaghodi: The life of Sitaram Chaudhary of Banagaun, Tikapur Municipality-1, Kailali, has blossomed with flowers. What began as a small initiative eight years ago has now become both a source of inspiration for his community and a symbol of his success.

Sitaram started floriculture in 2074 BS with an initial investment of one lakh rupees. “In the beginning, I was unsure of the outcome, but with time and experience, I learned and grew confident. Now, this has become my identity,” he shared.

His venture has not only provided him with a stable income but has also established him as a renowned florist and floriculture trainer in the district. He mainly grows velvet and centipede flowers, which are in high demand during Tihar. “There’s no problem selling flowers, but the demand still exceeds supply,” said Sitaram, who has already started selling garlands for the festival at Rs 130 per piece and Rs 600 per kilo.

He earns over Rs 400,000 per season from velvet and centipede flowers, with up to four garlands produced from a single plant. Encouraged by this success, he has continued expanding his business. “I also cultivate rice, wheat, and mustard, but the income from flower farming has met my expectations,” he said.

Starting with ten acres of land, Sitaram now cultivates flowers on one bigha and five acres. He has also planted decorative cut flowers such as tarbare, rose, jokheda, and Godavari. Having received extensive training in flower production and packaging, he now trains others in floriculture, garland and bouquet making, wedding car decoration, and stage decoration. According to him, the use of artificial flowers has decreased as more natural flowers are now available locally.

Sitaram’s venture has also created employment opportunities for local residents in planting, weeding, harvesting, and garland making. Flowers from his ‘Indreni Pushpakheti Farm’ are supplied to several districts, including Bardiya and Banke, besides Kailali. Initially, many villagers doubted his choice, often asking, “What can you earn by selling flowers?” But over time, his success proved otherwise.

“Now many people are following my footsteps. Other farmers have also started flower cultivation after seeing my work,” he said. His goal is to make floriculture more professional and to establish a flower business association after Tihar. “This is no longer just a source of income—it’s my identity. In Tikapur, when people think of flowers, they think of me,” he said proudly. “Floriculture has not only made my life colorful but also made me financially strong.”