BAITADI: Farmers in Baitadi are becoming increasingly self-reliant through potato farming, with timely rainfall this year raising hopes of higher production and income.
Farmer Keshav Bista of Patan Municipality-8 said he is optimistic about a good harvest this season due to favorable weather conditions. Bista, who earns between Rs 800,000 and Rs 1 million annually from potato farming, said production is expected to rise this year.
“We are expecting a good harvest because of timely rainfall. The fields have turned green with potato cultivation,” Bista said, adding that farmers have also been growing other seasonal vegetables alongside potatoes.
Wards 8, 9, and 10 of Patan Municipality are considered pocket areas for potato farming in Baitadi. Along with potatoes, farmers in the region are also cultivating seasonal and off-season vegetables to improve their livelihoods.
According to the Agricultural Knowledge Center, Baitadi, potatoes worth between Rs 15 million and Rs 20 million are exported annually from the district. Chief of the center, Haridatta Joshi, said potato production could increase by up to 20 percent this year due to intermittent rainfall.
Despite the growing potential of potato farming, farmers continue to face challenges due to the lack of irrigation facilities and cold storage infrastructure. Farmers say they are forced to transport potato seeds to Dadeldhura because there is no functional cold storage facility in the area.
Cold storage facilities remain unused
Meanwhile, farmers have expressed concern that two cold storage facilities constructed in the Khodpe area of Patan Municipality-8 with federal and provincial government investment have remained unused for years.
Farmer Nar Bahadur Bista said the non-operation of the cold storage facilities has made it difficult to preserve agricultural produce and store potato seeds safely. He accused concerned authorities of showing little interest in operating the facilities.
One cold storage facility built in Khodpe at a cost of around Rs 4.2 million with support from the provincial government has remained idle since its completion in fiscal year 2079/80. The facility was constructed with a provincial grant of Rs 1.5 million but has not come into operation.
Haridatta Joshi, head of the Agricultural Knowledge Center, said the operator of the facility, Mohan Dev Bhatta, has remained out of contact despite receiving the grant.
Similarly, another cold storage facility constructed in the same area at a cost of Rs 8.429 million by the former New City Project Office has also not been brought into operation due to the lack of an electricity connection.
According to Bishal Shrestha, Information Officer at the Intensive Urban and Building Construction Project Office, some technical equipment installation work is also pending.
He said the office had requested a budget for electricity connection, but the project office responsible for the facility has since been merged.
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