Thaindian News

By Vijay Gulati
Kullu (Himachal Pradesh), Oct 13 (IANS) Plentiful monsoon rains and foggy conditions have damaged the high-variety seed potato and tomato crops in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul Valley.

Horticulture experts say lack of sunshine has led to the spread of late blight disease, affecting the crops. They say
the seed potato yield would come down by 25-30 percent this time and the tomato production would be around 120,000 bags of 80 kg each against the normal 160,000 bags.

The landlocked Lahaul Valley is known for producing country’s disease-free, pest-resistant seed potato varieties, with more than 90 percent of the produce going to potato-growing states like West Bengal, Bihar, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

“The potato crop has been damaged for the second consecutive year due to hostile weather. This time too the overall crop damage is up to 30 percent,” Amar Chand Dogra, managing director of the Lahaul Seed Potato Growers Cooperative Marketing Ltd, told IANS.

The cooperative is run by potato farmers of the valley, who are cultivating the Kufri Chandramukhi and Kufri Jyoti varieties.

In the previous year, 30 percent of the total yield was also damaged.

“Last year the crop withered due to scanty rainfall. This time it damaged due to the prolonged monsoon and overcast conditions. The overall crop loss is again more than 25 percent,” said Shakti Singh, a Lahaul farmer.

He said lack of sunlight had led to the late blight disease that wiped out a large quantity of the crop.

Added Ramesh Singha, another farmer: “This time too our economy was badly hit. We depend upon one crop in a year (as the area is covered with massive snowfall almost six months) and if such situation continues, we have to stop cultivation of potatoes.”

Dogra said the harvesting is almost over and the produce is now being transported to this town from the valley where the buyers would come after Dussehra to buy the seed potatoes.

Himachal Pradesh experienced 16 percent surplus this year and the monsoon stayed for much longer duration.

Manmohan Singh, director of the meteorological office in Shimla, said: “This year the rainfall was 16 percent more than the normal in the state, compared to a 36 percent deficit last year.”

Dogra said this year again the prices of seed potato would be on the higher due to less supply and more demand.

“The wholesale rate would hover between Rs.1,900 and Rs.2,200 per quintal. Last year too the prices were more or less similar,” he said, adding that “most of the crop would head for propagation as it’s not fit for vegetable purpose”.

According to him, the main demand for the potatoes is coming from West Bengal and Gujarat.

Founded in early 1960’s, the Lahaul Seed Potato Growers Cooperative Marketing Ltd has more than 2,000 farmers as members. They cultivate potatoes over 900 hectares.

The history of cultivating potatoes in the valley traces back to 1854 when missionary A.W. Hide from Germany established a farm near Keylong, the district headquarters town some 200 km from here.

In 1965, the then deputy commissioner of Lahaul K.S. Bains brought improved varieties of potato seeds that brought prosperity in the region.

The other cash crops there are peas, cauliflower and hops, besides fruit crops like apple, pear, apricot, almond and plum.