Until two years ago, growing crops was a big challenge for farmer Jit Bahadur Khamcha Magar of Palpa in western Nepal.

He had been a victim of the monkey menace for years.

But these days Magar of Phek Dangsinghdanda, Ribdikot rural municipality-8 is not much worried.

He plans to earn Rs700,000 from the same land which until two years ago yielded nothing because monkeys, including other wild animals, ate up all the crops.

Some farmers even left the village.

Magar's life suddenly changed after he started growing chillies. Monkeys don’t like chillies and they don't even come close to the crop.

Till October, he sold chillies worth Rs 350,000 and plans to double the income by the end of this year. He has cultivated round chillies on three ropanies of land.

“Previously, the crops were destroyed by monkeys, porcupines, boars and other animals. My income was just zero two years back,” said Magar. “This year, I expect a good earning as the chilli variety I’ve grown is highly demanded in the market.”

Bishnu Bahadur Karki from Bhairabstan, Ribdikot rural municipality-4 hopes to earn Rs800,000 this year from round chilies. He has already made nearly a half of that.

He still plans to earn Rs450,000 from the sales of round chillies.

Karki, who has cultivated round chillis on six ropanis, said that the price of round chillies has nearly doubled this year.

“We have not only got the value for our products, but market access too,” said Karki. “As the price is fixed in advance, it is less risky for farmers.”

Besides Magar and Karki, nearly 1,500 farmers from Ribdikot rural municipality-8 are making an income from the crop. Ribdikot, once known for ginger production, now sees a future in round chilli cultivation.

Round chillies were primarily cultivated in Ilam, Panchthar, Dhakuta of the east. Four years ago, round chillies were planted in Ribdikot as a trial but later the rural municipality earned more than Rs60 million from the commodity, and encouraged more farmers to grow the crop in a commercial way.

With the increase in the value of round chilli this year, farmers easily managed the expenses for their festivities.

“We used to take loans to celebrate festivals. But with the round chilli farming boom, we need no loans from anyone,” said Sita Khamcha of Phake, Ribdikot rural municipality. She hopes to earn Rs500,000 from round chillies.

Last year, round chillies fetched Rs150 per kg but this year the minimum price has been set at Rs220 per kg. The floor price was set in coordination with Ribdikot rural municipality, said Sita. Farmers are getting Rs260 per kg.

Farmers said the market is no problem for round chillies—both red and green varieties.

Narayan Bahadur GC, a former ward chairman, is the director of Palpa Ribdikot Akabare Khursani Udyog. He introduced round chillies to local farmers with the support from the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation Project.

“In Palpa, it is now grown commercially,” said GC. Initially, there was no certainty whether the output would be good, he added.

Janak Acharya of Palungmainadi who cultivated round chillies on 200 ropanies as trial.

Round chilli cultivation expanded after the local government encouraged farmers in every ward, providing them with training and subsidies in seed purchase.

GC is working on the marketing of round chillies.

The Palpa Ribdikot Akabare Khursani Udyog collects round chillies from farmers, ensures its market and grades the output. Production of green chillies starts from May.

This facilitation has encouraged farmers to engage in round chilli farming, said Ranjib Kunwar, manager of Palpa Ribdikot Akabare Khursani Udhyog.

Kunwar said that most of the farmers bring their chilies to the factory.

The farmers who do not take round chillies to the factory also make transactions of Rs10.5 million separately by selling them in the market. Traders supply round chillies to Butwal, Bhairahawa, Tansen and Pokhara.

Palpa Ribdikot Akabare Khursani Udhyog sells red round chillies to noodle producers.

Farmers of Ribdikot hope to earn Rs60 million from round chillies this year.

So far, farmers have already sold round chillies for more than Rs30 million.

Though the rural municipality supported round chilli cultivation in initial days, lately it has been providing subsidies in seeds only.