Mushang Tamang of Darchagang (Dhajay) village in Tsirang grew up tending to flowers before and after farm works.

Calling it a chore to spend time then, she said she had few varieties of flowers and that her mother taught her the basics of floriculture.

Flowerpots with indoor and outdoor plants surround her bungalow today. She also grows flowers in black polythene bags.

She said it has just been over three years since she started her flower business. “When my backyard was blooming with flowers, I thought of selling it.”

She said flower business is new in Tsirang and she isn’t sure how it would run.

Mushang is one of the few flower growers in Tsirang who has a permit from the gewog agriculture officer to sell it in the Sunday vegetable market today. She grows and sells about 30 varieties of flowers.

She said she sells at least 15 pots of flowers priced between Nu 100 to Nu 300. Begonia is the most expensive flower she sells right now and it fetches her about Nu 3,000 a week.  “That’s sufficient to buy ration for the family.”

Mushang is now confident that the business will flourish in future but she can’t expand her business. “I own only 50 decimal of land.”

Her business has inspired a neighbour to take up flower business.  Mushang’s immediate neighbour, Chunki Maya Rai, 45, intends to start the business.

She said she grew flowers for ornamental purpose at home but recently decided to sell it. Although Chunki has not sold any yet, she has planted quite a large number.

She said that she gets few hours of free time at home after farm work. “Planting and selling flowers is the best thing I could do.”

Chunki Maya will begin selling flowers from her backyard as soon as they bloom.

Nirmala Pokhrel | Tsirang

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