Himalayan News Service

Pokhara, February 21:

Cauliflower farmers are disappointed for failing to get better price for their produce.

Known for vegetable farming, Malepatan and Hemja of Pokhara are currently selling cauliflowers at Rs 15 per kg.

Dal Bahadur Lamichhane of Malepatan, who has farmed cauliflowers on eight ropanis of land, said the price is much lower than that of last year.

Vegetables can cost upto Rs 80 per kg, if it is not in the season. Lamichhane said prices would go down by five rupees a kilo in few months’ time. The Vegetable and Fruits Market Office, Chipledhunga operator Jhalak Lal Shrestha said lack of proper management was affecting proper pricing of vegetables, including cauliflower. He added vegetables were cheaper in comparison to last year.

Most farmers in Hemja, Malepatan, Khudi and Tanahun have planted cauliflower. Traders said the produce from Syangja also finds market in Pokhara. The city also gets vegetables like sponge gourd and gourd from Tanahun, Mungling, Dhading and also from Mungling, said Agriculture Products Market Office, Pokhara’s planning assistant, Rupa GC. She said some farmers were using insecticide, threatening consumers’ health. But there is no authority to check the use of insecticide being applied in hazardous proportion.

Bishwanath Parajuli, District Agriculture Office-Pokhara assistant officer said farmers use Colon and Multiplex vitamins for plants’ rapid growth, which are harmless.

In Pokhara, everyday consumption of cauliflower is five tonnes. In the month of Falgun, the sale reaches upto eight tonnes, Shrestha informed.

Some farmers also lease land to produce seasonal and off seasonal vegetables. They say return is only enough to cover expenses and vegetable farming is not very lucrative. They added they were not getting the right price for tomatoes. The absence of a farmers’ union has helped vegetable dealers to buy agro-products in relatively low price.

There is a cold storage in Malepatan but is not used for vegetable. At present, one kilo of tomato costs Rs 20, beans Rs 15, radish Rs 10 and cabbage Rs 8.