Master’s graduate from Kanchanpur turns to commercial farming

Kanchanpur: Thirty-five-year-old Shravan Chaudhary of Shuklaphanta Municipality-12, who has completed his master’s degree, is fully engaged in commercial agriculture.

Chaudhary spends his mornings and evenings working in his fields and ponds. In the morning, he feeds the fish and looks after pond management, while in the afternoon he works alongside laborers to plant sugarcane. His interest in agriculture began during his school days and has continued to grow. What started as a small-scale fish farm has now expanded to five ponds.

He has constructed five ponds on two bighas of land, where he cultivates Kaman, Rohun, Naini, Grass, Bhakur, and Silver fish varieties. According to him, the ponds produce about 20 quintals of fish annually, generating a market value of Rs 700,000 to 850,000.

Chaudhary spends around Rs 300,000 to 400,000 on feed, fertilizer, medicine, and maintenance, resulting in a net annual income of Rs 500,000 to 600,000. Traders purchase fish directly from his home at Rs 350 per kg. Most of the fish is supplied to Attariya, Kailali, while the remainder is sold in the local market.

He has taken training in modern fish farming techniques from the Fisheries Development Center in Geta, Kailali. “Fish farming is not just about releasing fish fry into the water,” he said. “It requires proper pond management, balancing water quality and feed, and controlling diseases.”

Chaudhary believes that employment is not the only path to success. “An educated person can use his skills and knowledge in agriculture and earn a good living in the country,” he said. Although his family and society initially pressured him to seek a job, he pursued agriculture and turned it into his profession and lifestyle.

He said he is proud that society now recognizes him as an “entrepreneurial farmer.” In addition to fish farming, he cultivates sugarcane on five bighas of land. Of his total five bighas, he has built ponds on two bighas, rented another two bighas, and uses the remaining three for cultivation.

He earns around Rs 2 million annually from sugarcane grown on the five bighas. After deducting expenses for labor, irrigation, plowing, seeds, fertilizers, and transportation, he makes a profit of up to Rs 1.5 million. “Selling sugarcane has become easier with the operation of the sugar industry,” he said. “When the mill was closed, we used to produce jaggery at home and send it to the market.” Now, with the industry running, he faces no difficulties in selling his products.

With the income from fish and sugarcane farming, Chaudhary has built a brick house in the village. He has also purchased a tractor for plowing and a car, all through agricultural earnings. “All my investments have been possible through agriculture,” he said. “I now want to inspire others to enter this profession.”

Besides sugarcane and fish, Chaudhary cultivates Chaite and Barkhe paddy, and continues wheat farming in winter, which also provides additional income. He said life is not just about getting a job or going abroad, emphasizing that one can use their skills to find opportunities within the country.