Kandali plant in Uttarakhand is grown naturally everywhere. It is well known as a stinging nettle. It is a plant that can help prevent hill migration. Stinging nettle farming needs and plant uses along with price are shared today.
Kandali plant in Uttarakhand can stop hill migration
The Kandali plant in Uttarakhand is an agriculture business idea for those who believe in farming. It is one of the plants in Uttarakhand that can help prevent hill migration. Stinging nettle found in UK and other European countries; its cultivation is done on a large scale. Kandali plant is used for making multiple products therefore its demand is huge. In the United Kingdom it is used in treatment, recipes, soup, clothes etc.
This is not ordinary grass it has multiple uses. It can be used for making clothes, ropes, bags etc and its wide uses gives a good farming business opportunity. It is used in manufacturing, medicinals, oil and perfume industry.
If kandali cultivation starts in villages and government will help farmers by selling and exporting their crops abroad. Then who knows it might become a turning point in stopping the hill migration because it grows naturally in Uttarakhand hills and has no or very low-cost cultivation due to a sustainable growing atmosphere.
If Uttarakhand farmers will get stinging nettle buyers then why they will not start such grass cultivation that grows naturally and needs less or does not need water, fertilizer and other costs?
Stinging nettle Uttarakhand
Stinging nettle in India is found in Uttarakhand. It is grown in Kumaon Garhwal villages located near the hills. It is a wild grass plant that grows naturally in Uttarakhand and Himachal hills without any effort. It is famously known as the kandali plant, kanai and bichhu ghas in Uttarakhand.
Most people are unaware of its uses however some people in Uttarakhand are using it in daily life and making stinging nettle vegetables. This jungle grass has some important elements that might be used in various treatments. Due to lack of information the grass is being wasted and only treated as animal fodder.
Sting nettle sticks in Kumaon, Garhwal are used for threatening students and kids who disobeyed their elders’ and teachers’ instructions. One may have rashes and itching once touching the nettle leaf or stem with naked hands. Therefore people threaten to touch it with their naked hands. This is the only side effect of stinging nettle but at the same time, it is good for health.
Uttarakhand is the best growing zone for stinging nettle plants where they naturally grow widely. This grass hardly needs water and fertilizer instead its leaves are self fertilizer.
I am from Uttarakhand and used to visit my village but haven’t seen a single farm where people do stinging nettle cultivation. However, a small number of people noticed the opportunity and started collecting this wild grass in their houses. They are selling this grass after drying it and some have installed a small factory in their backyard.
Stinging nettle growing zones
Stinging nettle in India is grown mostly in hill regions including Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. This bichhu grass is mostly grown in Kumaon and Garhwal regions of Uttarakhand.
Stinging nettle seeds
Stinging nettle seeds are easily available in Uttarakhand at a very cheap price at the moment they are free of cost in villages but you need to visit there to collect them. Most plants are being wasted and not used by people.
Kandali plant business opportunity
The stinging nettle oil extraction business is yet another untouched farming business in India. Not only its leaves and stems are useful in treatment but also it has valuable and premium oil content.
A stinging nettle oil extraction factory can be installed to extract oil from the plant. The oil can be sold to the oil industry, perfume industry, ayurvedic and medicinal industries for treatment purposes.
Patanjali is a big buyer of medicinal plants and herbs and stinging nettle has medicinal plant content. So you can sell the nettle leaves dry or raw to such organizations.
Ropes, bags, clothes, sanitary pads, tissue papers, and papers can be made from this grass which is being treated as waste. Stinging nettle extract for hair is used in medicinal sectors for making medicines; it is also used in treatment in the Ayurvedic sector. European countries are already using this important grass in multiple fields but Indian farmers are not aware of this grass therefore it is being wasted for several years.
One can install a small fibre extraction factory and collect all the fibre from the plant. Then sell it to different manufacturers such as cloth factory, rope factory, bag factory etc. You can also install your small cloth-making factory and start making clothes from jungle grass (stinging nettle).
Stinging nettle cultivation in India by government
The government can stop hill migration by exporting stinging nettle. By encouraging young farmers to start stinging nettle cultivation in villages, the government can take the initiative to stop hill migration. Currently, there is hardly any farmer doing stinging nettle commercial cultivation in India.
Due to the suitable climate conditions and natural growing capacity, the government should start an awareness camp and encourage farmers to start kandali cultivation in Uttarakhand. The government should make a buying policy with assured MSP so that farmers can trust govt and start its cultivation. The government should make an exporting policy and inform farmers how they can export stinging nettle to other countries.
Conclusion
Stinging nettle farming business opportunities, its uses, growing zone and conditions are mentioned. Why and how the government can promote stinging nettle cultivation in India is mentioned.