Mustang farmers busy harvesting native buckwheat crop

Farmers in Mustang are currently busy cutting and bringing home the native buckwheat crop. Buckwheat sown in Asar is harvested from the last week of Asoj through the second week of Kartik, taking about 100 days to mature.

Sabita Thakali, a farmer from Thini in Gharapjhong Rural Municipality-5, said it is customary to sow buckwheat after harvesting barley and wheat planted in Mangsir. The crop is grown at altitudes of roughly 2,000 to 5,000 meters above sea level.

Buckwheat is produced across all five local levels of the district, from Thasang-1 Tukuche to the border villages of Lomanthang. Along with wheat, barley, maize, potato and beans, buckwheat has become part of Mustang's identity.

Farmers grow buckwheat for sale, for household consumption, and to send as gifts to relatives at home and abroad. Another farmer from Thini, Amit Thakali, said households set aside grain for their own use and sell the rest. He said buckwheat is also grown on vacant land inside apple orchards, and that road connectivity has made it easier to sell the native grain.

Buckwheat flour is used to make dhindo and roti, which has increasingly become a favorite among tourists visiting Mustang. The flour is also used during local festivals, and buckwheat dishes have begun appearing as main offerings in kitchens and hotels in towns and cities.