Sekhar Regmi

Biratnagar, June 20:

Technicians have said that there is a good future for herb training in Morang district, where, earlier, herb farming had failed. According to the district forest office in Morang, locals have been quite enthusiastic about herb farming, but without technical help and knowledge, it has not picked up the required scale. A network, under the active participation of Shiva Kumar Burathoki, was formed earlier, but was closed down as locals failed to help it. Sushil Bhandari, assistant forest officer at the DFO, said that different herbs could be grown in the district. He said, "Work has started, but the working environment remains unfavourable." According to Bhandari, local community showed interest in herb farming in Letang VDC, but they also put their foot down due to low technical know-how.

It has been learnt that many types of herbs are found in the forests of Mangalbare, Salakpur and Belbari. The forest office informed that herbs like Sarpagandha, Kurila, Rittha, Sitaral and Pawan are found in the forests and their plantation on local land land would yield good results. Despite the availability of different types of herbs in forests, the forest office has permitted sale of only 14 types of herbs. According to Forest Act 2051, the permission is given only after the collector requests the DFO. The DFO has prohibited the sale of herbs like Kutki and walnut shells. According to the office, permission for sale of Rittha, Lohan, Majitho, cinnamon, Urilo, Pipla, Chiraito, seed of Indreni, Timur, root of Kurilo, bark of Totla and Pawan, Bojho and Pangra have been given.