Potato exports worth one billion per year
The residents of Thaha Municipality, which is located in the northern area of Makwanpur, are currently busy digging potatoes. Farmers from all 12 wards of Thaha municipality are bringing in potatoes.
Potatoes planted in January are dug from the last week of Baisakh month. This year, due to good weather, potato production has increased .
"Potato production is good," said Sudarshan Bista, a local farmer, "Traders from outside are also coming to buy potatoes."
White potatoes are sold at 20 rupees per kg and red potatoes at 22 rupees per kg. The price of potatoes per kg this year is Rs 2 more than last year.
The seasonal potatoes produced here go to Raganj, Kathmandu, Hetaunda, Chitwan, Kalaiya, Pokhara and other cities. According to the Agriculture Branch, about one billion annually from Thaha Municipality alone. Potatoes are exported for Rs.
Farmers of this region now use Cardinal, Dejure, Khumal Rato, Janakdev and Kukhure Jyoti varieties of potatoes. According to the head of agriculture branch of Thaha municipality, Sanjay Odesh Tiwari, potatoes are grown in 6,300 plants in the municipal area. Last year, nearly 7,000 tons of potatoes were produced.
Tiwari says that potato production will be around the same this year.
