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What grows best where in Nepal

Nepal packs five farming belts into a few hundred kilometres, so the best crop changes with altitude and with how close you are to a road and a market. The hot Terai plains grow rice, wheat, sugarcane, fish and poultry. The hills grow vegetables, citrus, coffee, ginger and kiwi. The high hills and mountains grow apples, potato, large cardamom, herbs and yak products. Most district facts below come from news reports and academic papers, not from an official district table, because the PMAMP site publishes zone totals but not the zone-by-zone lists in a readable form. Anything resting only on secondary sources is marked Check. Check with your local agriculture knowledge centre before you invest.

Research as of 2026-10. Fees, rules and loan terms change often. Items marked Check rest on secondary sources, so confirm them with the office or on its website before you pay or sign anything.

Five climate zones

Terai

Altitude
About 100 to 300 (NARC band) m
Climate
Hot, humid, subtropical. Frost-free enough for up to three crops a year where there is irrigation. Monsoon rain is the main water source for most farms.
Seasons
Monsoon crop (rice, summer maize) from June to November. Winter crop (wheat, lentil, mustard, potato) from November to April. Spring maize and spring rice where irrigated.
  • Rice: the plains hold roughly 71 percent of Nepal's rice area and the main food surplus districts
  • Wheat, lentil, mustard and maize after the rice harvest: winter crops fit the cool dry months
  • Sugarcane: grown around the sugar mills in Madhesh and Lumbini
  • Fish ponds and poultry: flat land, water and big Terai and border markets
  • Tomato and other vegetables for export and for Kathmandu: Sarlahi exported over Rs 3 billion of vegetables in 2019/20
un-csam.org (opens in a new tab)

Inner Terai

Altitude
Roughly 150 to 800 (the Siwalik band in NARC material). Chitwan, Dang, Surkhet and Udayapur valleys sit here. m
Climate
Warm valleys between the Siwalik and Mahabharat ranges. Subtropical, with good soil in the river valleys.
Seasons
Similar to the Terai but slightly cooler winters. Summer maize and rice, winter wheat and vegetables.
  • Poultry and eggs: Chitwan held about 68 percent of national egg output in 2014/15
  • Maize: Dang valley is a designated maize super zone
  • Banana: Chitwan has a banana super zone
  • Vegetables and turmeric: Udayapur has named turmeric pockets such as Siddhipur
un-csam.org (opens in a new tab)

Mid hills

Altitude
About 300 to 1,500 (NARC middle mountain band). Warm temperate slopes reach 1,500 to 2,000. m
Climate
Mild, terraced farming on slopes under 30 degrees. Government policy pushes fruit and vegetables here to limit soil loss.
Seasons
Rice and maize in the monsoon, wheat and millet in winter. Off-season vegetables are the money earner when Terai supply is low.
  • Vegetables for city markets: Dhading, Kavre, Makwanpur and Nuwakot feed Kathmandu
  • Citrus (orange, mandarin, junar): Syangja, Tanahun, Sindhuli, Dhankuta
  • Coffee: Gulmi, Palpa, Syangja, Kaski, Lamjung, Gorkha, Sindhupalchok
  • Ginger and turmeric: Palpa, Salyan, eastern Surkhet
  • Tea in the eastern hills: Ilam, Panchthar, Dhankuta, Terhathum
un-csam.org (opens in a new tab)

High hills

Altitude
About 1,500 to 3,000. Jumla rice fields reach about 3,050 m. m
Climate
Cool to cold, frost in winter, one main crop season. Mixed crop, livestock and tree farming.
Seasons
One main season, planting in spring and harvest from late summer to autumn. Winter is dormant.
  • Apple: Jumla, Humla, Dolpa, Mustang and Mugu
  • Kiwi: Dolakha grows it between about 1,200 and 2,400 m
  • Potato: Kavre, Jumla, Dolakha, Ilam and Bajhang
  • Large cardamom: Taplejung, Ilam, Panchthar, Sankhuwasabha under forest shade
  • Marshi rice in Jumla: a cold-tolerant local red rice
fao.org (opens in a new tab)

Mountains

Altitude
Above roughly 3,000 (NARC lists the High Himalaya band above 2,600) m
Climate
Cold and dry, short growing season, most land is pasture or bare rock. Grazing is the main land use.
Seasons
Summer pasture roughly May to October for yak cheese. Field crops sown in spring, harvested in autumn.
  • Yak and chauri (yak-cow cross) milk, made into chhurpi and cheese in Solukhumbu, Dolpa, Rasuwa, Mustang, Manang
  • Barley, buckwheat and potato in small valley fields
  • Medicinal and aromatic plants collected or grown on community land
  • Apple in the driest, lowest valleys such as Marpha in Mustang
fao.org (opens in a new tab)

Province by province

Koshi9 districts
  • Tea in the eastern hills and plains (Jhapa, Ilam, Panchthar, Dhankuta, Terhathum)
  • Large cardamom in the high hills, which supply most of Nepal's output
  • Rice surplus from Morang, Sunsari and Jhapa; the province reports a grain surplus
  • Areca nut, coffee, orange, ginger, turmeric and yak products

  • Ilam

    Orthodox and CTC tea, Large cardamom, Potato, Chhurpi (hard cheese) sold in the tea belt, Coffee

    Mid and high hills with cool misty weather and good drainage. The district is linked by road to the Mechi highway and Indian markets.

    Markets: Birtamod, Kakarbhitta border for Indian trade, Siliguri side by informal and formal routes, tea sold through Jhapa and Kathmandu.

    icimod.org (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Jhapa

    Tea (largest tea volume in Nepal), Areca nut, with Buddhashanti the main centre, Rice (named as a 2017 super zone for paddy at Baniyani), Potato (named among the major potato districts)

    Flat eastern Terai with deep soil and high rainfall. Large tea estates and a road to India. Elephants damage some crops in forest-edge villages, which pushes some farmers to areca.

    Markets: Birtamod and Damak, Kakarbhitta border, Siliguri and Kathmandu. Areca trade has depended on India.

    ekantipur.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Taplejung

    Large cardamom (largest producing district, about 4,500 ha and over 2,400 tonnes in an ICIMOD summary), Potato, Yak products in the far north

    Steep high-hill slopes with forest shade and cool humid air suit cardamom. Roads are poor and long, so crops with low weight and high value win.

    Markets: Birtamod and Kakarbhitta, then India and onward export. Dried cardamom is easy to carry and store.

    icimod.org (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Panchthar

    Tea (one of the five tea zone districts), Large cardamom, Coffee

    Mid to high hills along the eastern border. Part of the 1982 tea zone districts according to secondary sources.

    Markets: Fikkal, Ilam and Birtamod, then Indian border markets.

    b360nepal.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Dhankuta

    Orange (Khoku and Chhintang have long orange history), Tea (a tea zone district), Vegetables (a vegetable zone in Mahalaxmi and Chhathar Jorpati), National citrus research programme at Paripatle

    Mid hills with a Dharan to Hile road link and a research station nearby, so seedlings and advice are within reach.

    Markets: Dharan, Itahari, Biratnagar and the Koshi highway to the Terai.

    thehimalayantimes.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Sankhuwasabha

    Large cardamom (area about 3,259 ha in an older study), Orange, together with Bhojpur reported as a cardamom and orange super zone, Coffee

    High hills with forest and a long river valley. The super zone claim comes from a summary of PMAMP material that I could not trace to a dated official page.

    Markets: Khandbari and Tumlingtar airport, Hile and Dharan by road, Biratnagar.

    pmamp.gov.np (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Morang

    Rice (one of Koshi's three main paddy districts), Coffee (listed by the tea and coffee board among eastern coffee districts), Fish

    Flat Terai with canal irrigation in parts and the Koshi highway. October 2025 unseasonal rain caused large paddy losses here, which shows weather risk.

    Markets: Biratnagar, Itahari, India via Jogbani border.

    b360nepal.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Udayapur

    Turmeric (Siddhipur declared the top pocket, about 800 tonnes a year in a 2021 report), Coffee, Rice in the Udaypur valley

    Inner Terai valley with warm slopes and a road to the Terai. Named turmeric pockets include Saune Khanbu, Mainamaini, Babala and Risku.

    Markets: Gaighat and Triyuga, Itahari and Biratnagar.

    radionepalonline.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Solukhumbu

    Yak and chauri milk made into chhurpi and cheese, Potato (named among major potato districts), Coffee (listed in eastern coffee districts)

    Mountain district with summer pasture from about May to October. Few roads, so dried and processed products travel best.

    Markets: Lukla and Salleri locally, tourist trade, and Kathmandu or Biratnagar by road and air.

    fao.org (opens in a new tab)Check
Madhesh5 districts
  • Fish: Madhesh leads the country in fish output, with Bara the top district in a 2024 review
  • Sugarcane for mills in Bara, Rautahat, Sarlahi and nearby districts
  • Vegetables for export, especially tomato from Sarlahi
  • Lentil and mustard on winter fallow land, though many farmers are shifting to wheat and vegetables

  • Bara

    Fish (2017 fish super zone; 11,675 tonnes in a 2024 review), Sugarcane (Reliance Sugar Mills), Potato (named among major potato districts)

    Flat land, high water table and many ponds. Close to the East-West and Birgunj roads.

    Markets: Birgunj, Kathmandu by the Narayangadh route, and Indian border markets.

    nepjol.info (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Sarlahi

    Tomato and other vegetables (Lalbandi is known as a tomato zone), Sugarcane mills (Annapurna Sugar and others), Supplier to Kalimati market

    Flat fertile land near the Indian border. Lalbandi vegetable exports passed Rs 3 billion in 2019/20, with tomato over half.

    Markets: Malangwa, Janakpur, Kathmandu Kalimati, and India across the border.

    hortidaily.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Parsa

    Sugarcane (a long-running sugarcane farming district), Fish (listed as a major fish district in 2015), Rice and wheat

    Terai land next to Birgunj with road and rail access to India. Sugarcane here has an older academic record but I found no current production figures.

    Markets: Birgunj dry port, Kathmandu, Indian markets.

    kathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Rautahat

    Sugarcane (reported mill supply shortage after some farmers stopped growing), Fish (listed as a major fish district in 2015), Rice

    Flat land, canal and borewell irrigation in parts. Sugar mill payment delays have pushed some farmers out of cane, so check mill payment records first.

    Markets: Gaur and Chandrapur local markets, Birgunj, Indian border.

    kathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Mahottari

    Sugarcane (farmers welcomed a price rise in December 2025), Rice, wheat and vegetables, Fish ponds

    Flat plains with dense population and demand. Neighbour of Sarlahi, so vegetable skills and traders are near.

    Markets: Janakpur and Jaleshwar, Kathmandu, Indian border towns.

    kathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Bagmati8 districts
  • Poultry and eggs around Chitwan, the main supply hub for the country
  • Vegetables from Dhading, Kavre, Makwanpur and Nuwakot to the Kathmandu valley
  • Potato in Kavre, kiwi in Dolakha, junar (sweet orange) in Sindhuli and Ramechhap
  • Trout in the Rasuwa high valleys

  • Chitwan

    Poultry and eggs (about 68 percent of egg output in 2014/15), Banana (super zone with about 1,800 ha listed), Rice

    Inner Terai valley with flat land, feed mills, hatcheries and a main highway. Sources for chicken share give different numbers by year, so treat shares as rough.

    Markets: Kathmandu, Pokhara, Narayangadh and Bharatpur wholesale markets.

    b360nepal.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Kavrepalanchok

    Potato (2017 super zone), Vegetables for Kathmandu, Coffee (listed by the coffee board)

    Hills about one to two hours from Kathmandu by road, so fresh produce arrives the same day.

    Markets: Kalimati and Balkhu in Kathmandu. Kavre ranked second among domestic suppliers to Kalimati in 2014/15.

    kathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Dhading

    Vegetables (bitter gourd, bottle gourd, okra, French bean, tomato), Top supplier to Kalimati for several years, Maize (reported as a leading maize district in 2019/20 data)

    Hills along the Prithvi highway with quick access to Kathmandu. Some farmland has been lost to brick kilns, which cut supply.

    Markets: Kalimati in Kathmandu, Narayangadh.

    myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Dolakha

    Kiwi (over 8,000 tonnes reported in 2024, about 3,000 growers), Potato, Jam and juice from unsold fruit

    Kiwi suits roughly 1,200 to 2,400 m. A price crash to about Rs 100 per kg in 2024 shows the market is the problem now, not the growing.

    Markets: Charikot, Kathmandu by the Araniko and Jiri routes.

    kathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Sindhuli

    Junar sweet orange (about 1,077 ha and 6,868 tonnes in a 2011 survey), Vegetables, Rice in the valley

    Mid hills with good fruit slopes and a road to the Terai and Kathmandu. The numbers are old, so ask the local agriculture office for current area.

    Markets: Kathmandu, Sindhulimadi, Terai towns, juice makers.

    horticulturenepal.org (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Makwanpur

    Vegetables (third supplier to Kalimati in 2014/15), Poultry and eggs (third in egg output), Ginger (listed among major producers in 2014)

    Hetauda sits at the meeting of the Terai and hills near Kathmandu.

    Markets: Hetauda, Kalimati in Kathmandu, Birgunj.

    b360nepal.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Nuwakot

    Vegetables for Kathmandu, Paddy and wheat in the valleys, maize and millet on slopes, Ghee and wool as old household trades

    Close to Kathmandu on the Trishuli road. Hill farms have little irrigation in winter, which limits off-season vegetables.

    Markets: Kathmandu Kalimati, Bidur.

    kathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Rasuwa

    Rainbow trout (government research station, fry sent to other districts), Yak and chauri cheese, Maize and millet

    Cold fast streams in a mountain district on the Kerung route. Trout need clean cold running water.

    Markets: Dhunche, Kathmandu, trekking and tourist trade in Langtang.

    radionepalonline.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Gandaki6 districts
  • Citrus: number one in the country for mandarin fruit, with Syangja the biggest orange district
  • Coffee in Kaski, Syangja, Gorkha, Lamjung, Tanahun and Parbat; Pokhara has over 1,500 cafes
  • Ginger (second in output within the province's horticulture review)
  • Apple in Mustang

  • Kaski

    Vegetables (2017 super zone), Coffee and a big cafe market in Pokhara, Tea (small orthodox gardens, listed in secondary sources)

    Pokhara is a large local market and a tourist city, so buyers are on the doorstep.

    Markets: Pokhara, plus hotels and cafes serving visitors.

    ekantipur.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Syangja

    Orange (the leading district for oranges, 15,180 tonnes in one directorate year and about 22,000 tonnes in a 2023 report), Coffee (reported as the largest coffee producer), Ginger

    Warm mid-hill slopes at 800 to 1,400 m with road links to Pokhara and the Siddhartha highway.

    Markets: Pokhara, Butwal, Kathmandu, Terai towns.

    horticulturenepal.org (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Gorkha

    Coffee, Vegetables to Kalimati, Rice and millet in the lower valleys

    Hills near the Prithvi highway between Pokhara and Kathmandu.

    Markets: Gorkha Bazaar, Pokhara, Kathmandu Kalimati.

    thehimalayantimes.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Lamjung

    Coffee, Orange (small, about 715 tonnes in one year against Syangja's 15,180), Cardamom and tea in small amounts in secondary sources

    Mid hills on the Besisahar road. Orange is much less developed than in Syangja.

    Markets: Besisahar, Pokhara, Kathmandu.

    horticulturenepal.org (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Tanahun

    Orange (Rs 1.71 billion in one year in a provincial report), Coffee, Ginger

    Hills along the Prithvi highway between Narayangadh and Pokhara.

    Markets: Damauli, Pokhara, Kathmandu.

    ekantipur.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Mustang

    Apple (Marpha, Thasang, Kagbeni, Jhong), Apple brandy and dried apple as processed products, Harvest allowed from late August for early varieties

    Dry trans-Himalayan valley at about 2,500 to 3,000 m. Warming has pushed orchards uphill and killed some at Lete and Kunjo. Reports of orchard area range from about 1,200 ha to 4,400 ha, so the true figure is unclear.

    Markets: Pokhara and Kathmandu by the Kali Gandaki road. Mustang earned about Rs 900 million from apples in one recent year, 80 percent sent out of the district.

    en.himalpress.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Lumbini6 districts
  • Maize in Dang (super zone) and rice, wheat in the Terai districts
  • Kapilvastu is the biggest food crop district in the province with about 21 percent of output
  • Coffee and ginger in the hills of Gulmi, Palpa and Arghakhanchi
  • Hybrid maize is replacing spring paddy where irrigation is thin

  • Dang

    Maize (2017 super zone, Satbariya and Lamahi area on the PMAMP site), Rice, Wheat

    Inner Terai valley with fertile soil. Farm yield is reported at 2.45 t/ha against 5.7 t/ha attainable, so there is room to improve with better seed and spacing.

    Markets: Ghorahi, Tulsipur, Nepalgunj, and poultry and feed mills along the highway.

    namp.gov.np (opens in a new tab)

  • Kapilvastu

    Food crops (largest share of the province's output), Sugarcane (older studies list it), Super zone page exists on the PMAMP network but the commodity was not confirmed

    Flat western Terai with good soil. Irrigation is uneven across the province.

    Markets: Taulihawa, Butwal, Bhairahawa, Indian border markets at Krishnanagar.

    ekantipur.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Rupandehi

    Fish (a PMAMP fish super zone at Chhapiya, shown on the PMAMP site), Rice and wheat, Vegetables (surveyed commercial vegetable district)

    Flat Terai next to Butwal and Bhairahawa with big local demand and the Indian border at Sunauli.

    Markets: Butwal, Bhairahawa, Pokhara, Sunauli border.

    namp.gov.np (opens in a new tab)

  • Gulmi

    Coffee (the Coffee Development Centre was set up at Aanpchaur in 1984; 35 tonnes green bean from 160 ha in 2016/17), Maize (large share, shifting from spring paddy), Orange in some parts

    Mid hills with older coffee tradition and a research and support centre in the district.

    Markets: Tamghas, Butwal, Pokhara. Coffee goes through cooperatives and processors.

    thehimalayantimes.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Palpa

    Ginger (pockets include Palung Mainadi, Thimure, Mujung, Kusumkhola, Bhairabsthan), Coffee, Vegetables

    Hills on the Siddhartha highway between Butwal and Pokhara. Ginger output fell sharply after 2015 because of disease and market crashes.

    Markets: Tansen, Butwal, Bhairahawa, Indian buyers.

    kathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Banke

    Maize (a maize zone reported around Nepalgunj), Wheat and rice, Vegetables for Nepalgunj

    Western Terai with a big city market and the Indian border at Jamunaha. Planting was slowest in the province in June 2026, a sign of irrigation gaps.

    Markets: Nepalgunj, Kohalpur, Karnali hill markets by road.

    ekantipur.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Karnali5 districts
  • Apple: Karnali held about 3,419 ha and 31,102 tonnes in 2024, with Jumla the largest
  • Ginger and turmeric: 365 tonnes of dried ginger and turmeric went to Europe in 2024/25
  • Marshi rice, potato, honey, mushroom and organic produce
  • Farm exports of 77,495 tonnes worth Rs 3.64 billion in the latest review, while livestock imports cost Rs 951 million

  • Jumla

    Apple (2017 super zone; 12,500 tonnes from 3,100 ha, 16,000 of 19,000 households grow apples), Marshi rice (cold-tolerant red rice grown to about 3,050 m), Potato

    High cold valley with a short season. Apples sell at Rs 50 per kg in Jumla and up to Rs 250 in Kathmandu, so the profit is lost in transport and spoilage.

    Markets: Surkhet, Nepalgunj and Kathmandu by the Karnali highway, which is often blocked in the monsoon.

    ekantipur.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Surkhet

    Turmeric (Chinchu area), Ginger (eastern part), Vegetables and the provincial trade hub

    Inner Terai valley with road and air links to Nepalgunj. An FAO organic farming project works here.

    Markets: Birendranagar, Nepalgunj, Kathmandu, exporters collecting dried spices.

    b360nepal.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Dolpa

    Apple (about 800 ha; produced 7,000 tonnes and sold 4,000 tonnes in one year), Yarsagumba and herbs (not sourced here), Yak products

    Remote high district where roads and bridges are the limit. Locals have asked for super zone status for apples as of March 2026.

    Markets: Dunai, Surkhet and Nepalgunj. Poor roads left 3,000 tonnes unsold in one season.

    ekantipur.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Humla

    Apple (518 ha, nearly 4,000 tonnes in an estimate), Potato and barley, Yak

    Far north-west mountain district reached by the Simikot road and air. Apple area is growing.

    Markets: Simikot, Nepalgunj, Tibet side trade in some years.

    ekantipur.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Salyan

    Ginger (named as a main ginger source in Karnali), Rice and vegetables

    Mid hills on the road to Surkhet and Dang. Ginger is processed and exported by private firms that buy from farmers.

    Markets: Surkhet, Dang, Nepalgunj, dried-spice exporters.

    b360nepal.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Sudurpashchim4 districts
  • Rice, maize and wheat surplus from Kailali and Kanchanpur, which also feed the hill districts
  • Wheat super zone listed at Dhangadhi in 2017
  • Potato in Bajhang and in Kanchanpur pockets with cold storage
  • Fruit and spice area of about 18,131 ha in 2080/81, led by Kailali

  • Kailali

    Rice, wheat and maize (the leading food district in the province), Fruit and spice crops (7,587 ha in a 2024 figure), Wheat super zone at Dhangadhi (2017 list)

    Flat Terai with the East-West highway. A rice quota of 35,000 quintals ran out in two weeks and the buyer stopped, so farmers sold cheaply to traders. Plan for market access.

    Markets: Dhangadhi, Attariya, Mahendranagar side, Indian border at Gaddachauki and Banbasa.

    ekantipur.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Kanchanpur

    Rice (reported as the top rice district in an older 2019/20 summary), Potato pockets in Bedkot, Shuklaphanta, Punarbas and Dodhara Chandani with two cold stores at Punarbas, Fruit and spice (1,420 ha)

    Flat far-western Terai with the Mahendranagar border and cold storage that lets potato growers hold stock.

    Markets: Mahendranagar, Dhangadhi, Banbasa and Indian markets.

    dineshkhabar.com (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Bajhang

    Potato (chosen as a PMAMP potato zone), Fruit and spice (1,288 ha), Medicinal herbs

    High hills with cool weather good for seed and table potato. Road quality limits sales.

    Markets: Chainpur, Dhangadhi and Kathmandu by long roads.

    researchgate.net (opens in a new tab)Check

  • Doti

    Fruit and spice (2,152 ha in 2080/81, the largest hill figure in the province), Maize and millet, Hill vegetables

    Mid hills on the road between Dhangadhi and the hill districts.

    Markets: Dipayal and Silgadhi, Dhangadhi, Mahendranagar.

    dineshkhabar.com (opens in a new tab)Check

Specialised production zones

CommodityTypeDistrictsSource
Rice (paddy)super zoneJhapa (Baniyani)kathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Fishsuper zoneBarakathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Fishsuper zoneRupandehi (Chhapiya)namp.gov.np (opens in a new tab)
Potatosuper zoneKavrepalanchokkathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Vegetablessuper zoneKaskikathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Applesuper zoneJumlakathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Wheatsuper zoneKailali (Dhangadhi)kathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Maizesuper zoneDang (Satbariya, Lamahi)namp.gov.np (opens in a new tab)
Bananasuper zoneChitwanekantipur.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Cardamom and orangesuper zoneSankhuwasabha, Bhojpurpmamp.gov.np (opens in a new tab)Check
ApplezoneDolpaekantipur.com (opens in a new tab)Check
VegetableszoneDhankuta (Mahalaxmi, Chhathar Jorpati)thehimalayantimes.com (opens in a new tab)Check
PotatozoneBajhangresearchgate.net (opens in a new tab)Check
PotatopocketKanchanpur (Bedkot, Shuklaphanta, Punarbas, Dodhara Chandani)dineshkhabar.com (opens in a new tab)Check
KiwizoneDolakhakathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check

When to sow and harvest

CropZoneSowHarvestSource
Rice (monsoon)Terai and valleysNursery May to June, transplant mid June to July (government marks Ropain Day around Asar 15, about 29 June)October to Novemberkathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check
WheatTerai and mid hillsNovember to December after the rice harvestMarch to Maycb.apps.fao.org (opens in a new tab)Check
Maize (summer)Mid hills and Inner TeraiMarch to May with the first rainsAugust to Septembercb.apps.fao.org (opens in a new tab)Check
PotatoTeraiSeptember to OctoberDecember to Februaryslideshare.net (opens in a new tab)Check
PotatoMid hillsAugust to NovemberVaries with planting date, roughly November to Marchslideshare.net (opens in a new tab)Check
PotatoHigh hillsDecember to FebruaryJuly to Septemberpotatopro.com (opens in a new tab)Check
AppleMustang (Marpha, Thasang, Kagbeni)Trees take years to bear. Plant saplings in winter or early spring.Early varieties from late August, late varieties from early September, season runs to Octoberthehimalayantimes.com (opens in a new tab)Check
SugarcaneMadhesh Terai (Bara and nearby mills)February to March (spring planting, general knowledge)Cutting for mills ran in February in 2026; the season usually spans winterkathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Large cardamomHigh hills of Koshi (Taplejung, Ilam, Sankhuwasabha)Plant suckers with the monsoon, June to July (general knowledge)September to November, from the third year on (general knowledge)icimod.org (opens in a new tab)Check
CoffeeMid hills 800 to 1,600 mPlant seedlings June to JulyNovember to February from about year three or four (general knowledge)kathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Orange and junarMid hills (Syangja, Sindhuli, Dhankuta)Plant grafted saplings June to AugustNovember to January (general knowledge)horticulturenepal.org (opens in a new tab)Check
KiwiMid to high hills (Dolakha)Plant in winter, vines fruit in about year three to fiveOctober to November (general knowledge). Early picking of unripe fruit has hurt prices.kathmandupost.com (opens in a new tab)Check
Yak cheese (chhurpi)High mountain pasturesNot applicableMilk collected May to Octoberfao.org (opens in a new tab)
Lentil and mustardSouthern TeraiAfter the rice harvest, roughly October to November (general knowledge)February to March (general knowledge)scroll.in (opens in a new tab)Check

Quick wins by place

Tomato and cucumber under a plastic tunnel to catch off-season prices

Where
Sarlahi (Lalbandi), Dhading, Kavre, Dhankuta
First income after
Roughly 2 to 4 months (estimate)
Note
Sarlahi's Lalbandi exported over Rs 3 billion of vegetables in 2019/20, over half tomato. Cost depends on size of tunnel, ask the local agriculture knowledge centre. Gluts crash prices, so plant in stages.

Turn unsold fruit into jam, jelly and juice

Where
Dolakha, Sindhuli, Syangja, Dhankuta
First income after
Weeks once you have fruit and a clean room (estimate)
Note
Dolakha kiwi fell to about Rs 100 per kg in 2024 and the municipality trained locals in jam and juice. Needs a food licence from the local level and a clean workspace.

Grade, pack and store apples for sale in Kathmandu

Where
Jumla, Humla, Dolpa, Mustang
First income after
One apple season, August to October (estimate)
Note
Apples sell near Rs 50 per kg in Jumla and up to Rs 250 in Kathmandu. Storage, grading and packing are the gaps officials name.

Turmeric or ginger growing and sun-drying with a processing group

Where
Udayapur (Siddhipur), Surkhet (Chinchu), Salyan, Palpa
First income after
About 8 to 10 months from planting (estimate)
Note
Karnali exported 365 tonnes of dried ginger and turmeric to Europe in 2024/25. Palpa ginger fell after 2015 from disease and market crashes, so start small and use clean seed.

Coffee nursery and cherry growing for the Pokhara cafe market

Where
Kaski, Syangja, Gulmi, Lamjung, Gorkha
First income after
Nursery seedlings in about a year; cherries from year 3 or 4 (estimate)
Note
Pokhara has over 1,500 cafes and demand is reported above supply in July 2026. Slow to start, steady once trees bear.

Kiwi vines, only with a buyer lined up first

Where
Dolakha and other mid to high hills at 1,200 to 2,400 m
Start-up cost
NPR About 250,000 for 50 plants in one report
First income after
About 3 to 5 years (estimate). A five-year-old plant gives 50 to 75 kg.
Note
Prices fell from Rs 1,000 per kg early on to about Rs 100 in 2024. Do not plant without a processor or trader.

Small egg or broiler unit with a contract hatchery or feed supplier

Where
Chitwan, Makwanpur, Nawalparasi
First income after
Broilers about 5 to 6 weeks, layers 5 to 6 months (estimate)
Note
Chitwan holds most of the egg trade, so inputs and buyers are close. Check disease and price cycles before borrowing.

Rainbow trout or pond fish for hotel and trekking trade

Where
Rasuwa (trout), Bara and Madhesh Terai (pond fish)
First income after
Pond fish roughly 6 to 12 months (estimate)
Note
Trout need cold clean running water. Bara led fish output in a 2024 review. Ask the fisheries office for fry.

Yak chhurpi and cheese with a small collection group

Where
Solukhumbu, Rasuwa, Mustang, Manang, Dolpa
First income after
Within the May to October pasture season (estimate)
Note
Hard cheese keeps well and sells to trekkers and cities. Needs a registered group and a food licence.

Shared potato cold store or aggregation point

Where
Kanchanpur, Bajhang, Kavre
First income after
One storage season (estimate)
Note
Kanchanpur has two cold stores at Punarbas for its potato pockets. Cold storage lets growers sell after harvest gluts.

Sources

  1. PMAMP home page (redirects to the National Agriculture Modernization Project site), Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project, read 2026-10-15
  2. PMAMP super zone page, Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project, read 2026-10-15
  3. PMAMP zone page, Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project, read 2026-10-15
  4. PMAMP block page, Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project, read 2026-10-15
  5. PMAMP implementation units list, Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project, read 2026-10-15
  6. Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, MoALD, read 2026-10-15
  7. Super zones (2017 first-year list), The Kathmandu Post, read 2026-10-15
  8. Chitwan banana superzone, Kantipur, read 2026-10-15
  9. Demand to make Dolpa an apple superzone, Kantipur, read 2026-10-15
  10. Vegetable zone set up in Dhankuta, The Himalayan Times, read 2026-10-15
  11. Status of agricultural mechanization and agro-based enterprise development in Nepal (NARC altitude bands), UN-CSAM, read 2026-10-15
  12. Jumla Marshy Rice, FAO Mountain Partnership, read 2026-10-15
  13. Yak cheese, FAO Mountain Partnership, read 2026-10-15
  14. Enhancing the large cardamom production, ICIMOD, read 2026-10-15
  15. Large cardamom likely to see sharp fall in output, The Kathmandu Post, read 2026-10-15
  16. How an ordinary drink has turned into one of Nepal's biggest exports (tea), B360 Nepal, read 2026-10-15
  17. 19 districts identified for coffee production, The Himalayan Times, read 2026-10-15
  18. Coffee board targets doubling production, The Kathmandu Post, read 2026-10-15
  19. Demand exceeds coffee production, leading to high export prices, Kantipur, read 2026-10-15
  20. Apple import increasing every year, the challenge to save quality in Karnali's production, Kantipur, read 2026-10-15
  21. Mustang farmers begin harvesting apples, Himal Press, read 2026-10-15
  22. Mustang begins early apple harvest, The Himalayan Times, read 2026-10-15
  23. Status of sweet orange (junar) production in Sindhuli district, Horticulture Nepal, read 2026-10-15
  24. Horticulture development in Gandaki Province, Horticulture Nepal, read 2026-10-15
  25. Orange production of more than four billion in Gandaki, Kantipur, read 2026-10-15
  26. Kiwi farming blooms in Dolakha, but fruit finds no takers, The Kathmandu Post, read 2026-10-15
  27. Province 2 sugarcane farmers defy odds, The Kathmandu Post, read 2026-10-15
  28. Healthy profits in the poultry hub Chitwan, B360 Nepal, read 2026-10-15
  29. Dhading top vegetable supplier district for last eight years, Republica, read 2026-10-15
  30. Veggie prices plunge on glut, The Kathmandu Post, read 2026-10-15
  31. Nepal Sarlahi district exports vegetables worth Rs 3 billion, HortiDaily, read 2026-10-15
  32. Demand for fish outstrips domestic production, The Kathmandu Post, read 2026-10-15
  33. Fish production review (Bara highest district, Madhesh highest province), Nepalese Journal of Agriculture and Forestry (NepJOL), read 2026-10-15
  34. Ginger farmers face hard times after market crashes, The Kathmandu Post, read 2026-10-15
  35. Turmeric pocket in Udayapur, Radio Nepal, read 2026-10-15
  36. Karnali province exports 365 tonnes of ginger and turmeric to Europe, B360 Nepal, read 2026-10-15
  37. Betel nut cultivation is the choice of farmers in elephant-affected areas, Kantipur, read 2026-10-15
  38. Rice quota in Far West, Kantipur, read 2026-10-15
  39. Sudurpashchim crop and area reporting, Dinesh Khabar, read 2026-10-15
  40. Potato technical efficiency in Bajhang (PMAMP command area), ResearchGate, read 2026-10-15
  41. Only 20 percent of crops planted in Lumbini Province by mid-June, Kantipur, read 2026-10-15
  42. Unseasonal rainfall causes Rs 25 billion paddy loss in Koshi Province, B360 Nepal, read 2026-10-15
  43. Rasuwa trout and Bagmati farming reporting, Radio Nepal, read 2026-10-15
  44. Paddy transplantation races ahead as monsoon rains revive, The Kathmandu Post, read 2026-10-15
  45. Nepal crop calendar, FAO Crop Calendar, read 2026-10-15
  46. Cultivation practice of potato in Nepal, SlideShare (presentation), read 2026-10-15
  47. Nepal potato markets, PotatoPro, read 2026-10-15
  48. Lentil farming in southern Terai, Scroll.in, read 2026-10-15