Farmers in Himachal reap bumper harvest of potatoes

Una: Bumper harvest of potatoes is fetching good prices in the market and the district administration will create a strong system for the production and marketing of potatoes, so that the farmers can get the right price for their crop, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri has said.

Agnihotri has directed the district administration to prepare a strong plan to promote a potato-based economy.

This year, the production of potatoes in the district is estimated to be around 28 thousand metric tons and the farmers are getting Rs 2,200 to Rs 2,800 per quintal for the crop. Agnihotri said just as the apple-based economy has been successful in the state, there are immense possibilities for a potato-based economy in Una. In this direction, a strong system will be created for the production and marketing of potatoes, so that the farmers can get the right price for their hard work and they can be saved from any fraud.

Una district has a distinct identity in the entire state for sowing potato crop on a large scale and producing it at a good level. Una’s potato is quite famous, which is sent for sale in Himachal’s markets as well as various markets of the country.

In the last Kharif season potato crop was sown in 1800 acres, Pukhraj potato variety was grown in this area, which gives maximum yield. Apart from this, potato crop is also being sown on about 1200 hectares in Rabi season in Una, whose average yield is about 250 quintals per hectare.

Kulbhushan Dhiman, Deputy Director of Agriculture Department, says that the potatoes have been sown in 1800 hectares of area this year, and now the work of harvesting the crop is going on in full swing.

Sanjeev Kumar, a farmer of Lower Badhera in Una, has grown potato crop in 120 kanals. He says that this year he has got good prices for potatoes, and his crop is being purchased directly from the field by traders.

Apart from this, officials of the Agriculture Department also come to the fields from time to time and provide information about crop care and measures to avoid pests and diseases, he added.