Devendra Barma

Pyuthan, May 13:

The Haat Bazaar that takes place every Friday in Khalanga, Bijuwar, Maranthana, Dharmawati and Majhkot VDCs has inspired farmers to take up vegetable farming.

Established some two years ago, the Haat Bazaar lacks drinking water and lavatory facilities though there is continued progress in the management, farmers complained.

They have to go into DDC premises even for water, they said. Treasurer of the Haat bazaar management committee, Laxmi Shrestha said steps have already been initiated for making drinking water and toilet available. In view of the difficulties being faced by the farmers, demands are being put to concerned authorities for other facilities, she said.

The farmers carry their produce in Doko to the Haat bazaar. But, they have been facing problems created by the conflict like transportation, seeds, drugs, chemical fertilizers and irrigation. Production could increase if the district agriculture development office handles distribution of seeds, drugs, chemical fertilizers, and raise farmers’ awareness by organising training and seminars on vegetable management, farmers maintained.

Although Haat bazaar is held with the purpose of providing vegetables to the district residents at cheap rates, vegetable vendors choose vegetables coming from outside the district as they are relatively cheaper, most farmers allege.

Vegetables come from outside the district into Pyuthan while the district can not only be self-reliant in vegetable production but can send them to other districts if farming is started in places where irrigation facilities are available, women farmers said.

Secretary of the Pure Fresh Vegetable Production Women’s group, Pavitra G C, Bishnu Thapa (Dharmavati) and Deva Gurung (Majhkot), Tikuri Fresh Vegetable Production Agriculture Group Bijuwar’s member, Sita K C, active farmer Sita M C (Dharmavati) underlined the need for having collection centres in different places, special arrangement of transportation and provision of loan investment.

They also said that vegetable farming has augmented women’s participation in income generation and they have become self-reliant.

Likewise, income of the oppressed and dalits have also gone up dramatically, said Reshma Sunar, member of the Lalupate Vegetable Group.