Cucumber Production Economics in Nepal: Chandani vs Raja F1 Hybrids in Morang

Is cucumber farming profitable in Morang, Nepal?

Yes. A study of 60 cucumber farmers in Katahari and Jahada Rural Municipalities of Morang District found that both F1 hybrid varieties studied were clearly profitable. Chandani returned a benefit–cost ratio (BCR) of 2.40 and Raja 2.19, meaning every rupee spent returned NRs 2.40 and NRs 2.19 respectively. Chandani came out slightly ahead because of higher yield per katha and a slightly better farm-gate price. Intercultural labour (weeding, hoeing and soil aeration) was the largest cost and also the strongest driver of productivity for both varieties.

The study was published in Big Data in Agriculture 8(2): 89–95 (2026). A. K. Roy (G. P. Koirala College of Agriculture and Research Center, Purbanchal University) is first author, D. Wasti is second author, and B. Neupane is third and corresponding author.

Why cucumber matters in Morang

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is a warm-season cucurbit grown in Nepal from the Terai plains to the mid-hills. The paper notes, citing MoALD statistics, that Morang is one of Nepal's top cucumber-producing districts, with a district yield above both the national and provincial averages. The Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project (PMAMP) has declared Katahari and Jahada a vegetable pocket zone and encouraged commercial cultivation of hybrids such as Chandani F1 and Raja F1. Profits, however, are held back by the cost of intercultural labour, pest and disease pressure, limited extension services, poor storage and price fluctuations. No earlier study had compared these two varieties in Morang.

How the study was designed

• Location: Katahari and Jahada Rural Municipalities, Morang District, Koshi Province, within the PMAMP vegetable zone near Biratnagar.
• Period: February to June 2025.
• Sample: 60 farmers by simple random sampling (Raosoft calculator, 10% margin of error, 95% confidence); 15 Chandani and 15 Raja growers from each municipality.
• Data: pre-tested semi-structured interview schedules, key informant interviews (progressive farmers, cooperative members, agrovet retailers, PMAMP officers) and focus group discussions of 10–12 participants.
• Analysis: cost and benefit analysis (TC = TFC + TVC; BCR = TR / TC), Cobb–Douglas production function regression for resource use, Pearson correlation, and a five-point problem-ranking index, using SPSS 22 and Microsoft Excel.

Chandani vs Raja: key economic results

One katha is about 338.63 m², as noted in the paper. Fixed costs were identical for both varieties, led by irrigation infrastructure (50.12%) and machinery (39.29%). After intercultural operations, the next largest variable costs were pesticides and seed for both varieties. Mean annual income from cucumber was NRs 107,048.33 per household.

What drives cucumber productivity?

The Cobb–Douglas regression showed intercultural labour cost as the most important input for both varieties (standardised β = 0.905 for Chandani and 0.599 for Raja; both p < 0.001). Management cost was also significant for both, and harvesting labour was significant for Raja. Pesticide cost was not significant for Raja, which the authors suggest may reflect overuse or poorly timed applications. Incomes from the two varieties were strongly correlated (r = 0.814), suggesting that farm management capacity, soil and market access carry across varieties. Total household income was not significantly correlated with cucumber income, so cucumber is one part of a diversified livelihood.

Constraints: diseases, pests, marketing and production

Powdery mildew ranked second among diseases for both varieties. Aphids ranked second among pests for Chandani and fruit flies for Raja. After storage, farmers named lack of market information, price fluctuations, poor grading and packaging, and high middleman margins. Most produce went to private collectors (82–86% of farmers), and only 38.3% of farmers had received any training.

What this means for cucumber growers

For farmers in the Morang pocket zone, the results suggest that both hybrids are worth growing, with Chandani giving a modest edge under current prices. Because intercultural labour gave the highest productivity return, the authors point to training on weeding frequency, soil aeration and trellis management as the best use of extra effort. Managing cucumber mosaic virus, which is spread by aphids, and caterpillars should be part of any integrated pest management plan.

What this means for policymakers and researchers

The authors recommend targeted investment in farmer field schools, IPM training, cold storage, grading and packaging capacity, and mobile-based market price information. For researchers, the paper offers a compact template for variety-level production economics: cost structure, BCR, Cobb–Douglas resource-use analysis and constraint ranking in one survey. Readers interested in field experiments on other vegetables may also see the studies on okra growth regulators in Sunsari and mulching and insect pests on lettuce.

Limitations

The paper does not include a separate limitations section. Readers should note that it is a single-season survey (February to June 2025) of 60 farmers in two rural municipalities, with costs and yields reported by farmers rather than measured in controlled plots, so the results describe this pocket zone rather than cucumber farming across Nepal.

How to cite

Roy, A. K., Wasti, D., & Neupane, B. (2026). Comparative analysis of Chandani and Raja cucumber varieties in Morang District, Nepal. Big Data in Agriculture, 8(2), 89–95. https://doi.org/10.26480/bda.02.2026.89.95

All of Bishal Neupane's articles are listed on the publications page. Supervisors and collaborators working on vegetable production economics or extension are welcome to reach out via the contact page.