Plant durability:
Haskap plants are very cold resistance. The plants remain undamaged down to -48°C, and blossoms are resistance until -8°C(Bors Growing). This is ideal for the hill region where the cold temperatures may be a limiting factor for other crops. Irrigation is not critical after 3 years because of the deep root systems.
Growing the plants:
Plants are grown in a plug, meaning a plastic tray with a small Haskap plant in it, until about one year old (Hascap Central). This is how multiple propagators grow the plants across Canada. In Nepal, they would be transferred from the tray into the soil on the terraces in the hill region in Nepal. Grown 1 metre apart in rows, cover crops could be grown in between. Soils in the hill region are generally slightly acidic, in which Haskap can grow suitably as they can grow in a pH range of 5-8 (Bors, Blue). The Haskap shrubs on the terraces should be grown 1 metre apart in rows as well. Haskap is pollinated by bees and other insects (Bors Pollinator, 2009). Haskap plants are self incompatable, so a second compatible Haskap variety is needed. One pollinizer is needed for every five fruit bearing plants (U of Sk, 2007).
The shrubs do not bear much fruit for 2 years, but after 5 years the plants can produce from 5-7 kilos of fruit per plant per year(Bors Growing). Haskap bushes grow from 1.5-2 metres in height. Their lifespan is about 30 years so over time it should be a good investment over time(Bors Growing). Haskap is an early fruiting plant which would provide income to Nepalese farmers early in the season (Bors Growing).
Export Potential
There are multiple propagators of Haskap shrubs in Canada. Haskap Central Sales Ltd., ships internationally to Europe (Haskap Central). They may be open to shipping to Asia as well. They are based out of Saskatchewan and have been in existance since Haskap were mass produced in Canada in 2007 (Haskap Central). Haskap plants could be exported from Canada to Nepal by flying them in. Haskap plants in the plug stage of growth can’t be without water or sunlight for an extended period of time so the most realistic way of shipping plants to Nepal would be by air. A1 Freight Forwarding ships directly from Canada to Nepal by plane. Using A1 Freight Forwarding’s website, the cost for 1 pallet that weighing 1000 lbs would cost 2350.00$ from Regina to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal (Freight Shipping). From there the plants would be distributed by a local company, one option being Biotech Association of Nepal for Research and Developement. The Nepalese farmer would then have to look after getting the plants from the distributor.
Nepalese Markets
Haskap is a very marketable plant. The berries can be eaten as fresh fruit, made into wine, jam, put into granola bars, yogurt, and syrups (Bors Blue). Very few of the Nepalese would be able to afford the processed products, but the jams, wines and syrups could easily be sold to tourists, at hotels and at local markets. In addition Nepal could work on propagating Haskap themselves, and exporting to other Asian countries making it a cash crop. However that would not benefit Canada if Nepal became self sufficient, although it would be great for Nepal to bring in money from other richer countries in Asia.
The main way Haskap would realistically be consumed in Nepal would be as the fresh berry. The fruit comes in mid June in Canada, and the shrubs produce berries until early September (Bors Growing). The berries would have to picked off the bush by hand and put into containers. The berries would then have to be refrigerated. This may be problem for farmers in the hill region because many of the rural communities have no power. The market for Haskap berries is also probably in the cities, as they are not a traditional part of the Nepalese diet, they may have to be exposed to a large amount of people before they are sold. The price per pound in Canada is 4.40$, but could be brought down in Nepal because of cheaper labour, and lack of machinery. Haskap berries would most likely be a niche product for the wealthy in Nepal, as it will be probably too expensive for local people in the poor rural communities, compared to other fruits already established.
Employment Opportunities
Haskap berries must be picked by hand and, for large scale farms, labourers may have to be hired to pick the berries (Bors Growing). A solution for farmers who cannot hire labourers is a U-pick system, where the customers pick for their own consumption and pay a discounted price compared to a market or store. A piece work system may also be suitable, the customers paying a certain amount of money for the amount of fruit picked. That way the farmer can determine the cost of labour per berry picked making sure there is always a profit for the farmer. If the farmers decide to propagate the shrubs, then there may be employees needed to propagate a large quantity of the Haskap plants.