Grocer runs livestock farming with huge investment

Bishnu Prasad Pokhrel from Mattikhan of Phedikhola Rural Municipality-1 in Syangja district has been involved in livestock farming with huge investment.

He had registered the ‘Janabishwas Agriculture and Livestock Multipurpose Farm’ two years back. Pokhrel, who began the commercial livestock farming with 10 buffalos, has now 185 cattle. Among the total domestic animals, he has 150 buffalos and 30 cows.

Initially a grocer, Pokhrel embarked on the livestock farming with the zeal to do something remarkable in the village. He still has a grocery in bazaar area. “I’ve grocery and livestock farming both. The commercial farming of cattle has helped me utilize my land and meet growing demand of milk and other dairy products,” he said.

According to him, he has invested nearly Rs 20 million in setting up barns, purchasing buffalos and cows, fodder and forage, hay and grains. The income generated from the farm is also invested in buying the cattle. Among the total livestock, he has 150 milking buffalo and 20 milking cows.

The farm covers 15 rapanis of land. He has leased nearly 100 ropanis of land to grow grass for the livestock. Various types of grass, including hay and straw are grown in the land.

Now the production from the farms is 400 liters of buffalo milk and 200 liters of cow milks each day and the production is being supplied to local and nearby markets, including Phedikhola, Mattikhan, Seti Dobhan, Khadketari and Pokhara.

As Pokhrel says, he faces no market problem for the production and the demand-side is higher than the supply. He is thinking to add 40 more cows to his farm soon. According to him, his monthly earnings from the business is Rs 1.5 million. He has employed 13 people and planning to recruit more to expand the farm.