Before the winter rains and snowfall, the farmers of the upper part of Myagdi have started planting Barkhe potatoes. Since the snowfall and winter rains are decreasing and the moisture in the soil is decreasing quickly, the farmers in the upper part of the district (above 2 thousand meters) have started planting dry potatoes early.

Potato is a crop that thrives in cold weather in soil that does not freeze, says an agricultural technician. Few of the farmers here have planted local varieties and most of them have planted red potatoes of the Dijre variety.

Before the winter rains and snowfall, the farmers are busy planting potatoes. At the latest, we will be able to plant within the third week of December," local Pradeep Pun said, "Since the amount of rain and snowfall has decreased in winter, the earlier the potatoes are planted, the better they are going to plant.

Potatoes planted in the garden do not spoil because it is cold now. "If it snows before the potatoes grow in our non-irrigated fields, there will be enough moisture and they will grow well after spring, the fruit will be good and the crop can be brought in before the rains," Pun said. 

Farmers are busy planting potatoes in most of the Lekali settlements of Annapurna Rural Municipality of the district. Warmth has increased after the thick snow stopped falling in November-Pus as before. According to the farmers, there is no irrigation, when there is less snow in winter, the humidity is reduced and the soil becomes drier after February, and it becomes a problem to grow potatoes.

'Earlier, we used to plant winter potatoes from January to February, and bring them in at the end of June. At that time, the potatoes would get soaked by rain water and rot a lot, now if we planted them in the first week of January-January, we could bring them in at the beginning of June," said Nand Kumari Garbuja of Annapurna Rural Municipality-7, Histan, "There is no paddy cultivation in our village, the main food crop is potatoes. We have started planting annual potatoes in the month of June after seeing the good yield in the field of fast planting.' 

Farmers say that the more snow falls before potatoes grow, the better the yield. Apart from Dhawalagiri Rural Municipality-6 and 7, all the Lekali settlements in the district, all the upper parts of Malika Rural Municipality, Raghuganga Rural Municipality-7 and 8 wards and Annapurna-4 to 8 wards in the upper parts of Lekali potato production are good. Ganga Lamichhane, Agriculture Extension Officer of Krishi Gyan Kendra Myagdi, said that although the season for planting Lekali Berkhe potatoes is usually February, some farmers plant potatoes in May based on Raithane knowledge. 

If there is frost or frost on the leaves of potato, late blight disease occurs. That's why it is recommended by the technician to plant after the fall of Tusaro," she said, "If the potato plant of any variety gets enough sunlight and dark night (photo period) for at least three months, good taste and quality will be maintained."