Hailstones destroy seasonal crops in Bajura

Bajura, May 14

Hailstones have destroyed seasonal crops worth millions of rupees in the past one month in Bajura district.

According to District Agriculture Development Office, Bajura, seasonal crops worth more than Rs 83.1 million have been destroyed in the district. Chief at DADO Ram Krishna Shrestha said hailstones had destroyed wheat, barley, vegetables and fruits, among other seasonal crops planted in fertile lands of the district.

As many as 34,746 families of the district have been directly affected in Tribheni Municipality, Budhiganga Municipality, Chhededaha Rural Municipality, Gaumul Rural Municipality and Badimalika Municipality. Local farmers said 2,171 metric tonnes of seasonal crops were destroyed.

Ramesh Katwal, a farmer at Budhiganga Municipality said, “Our life depends on agriculture, but now we have nothing to eat or sell as the hailstones destroyed all our crops.” Katwal added that now he had no option but to go to India for employment to feed his family.

Similarly, Gore Chadara, another local farmer at Bahrabisa, said he was also planning to go to India for employment. “My family lived for six months on the crops that I’d planted last year, but this year we have nothing to eat as hailstones destroyed everything,” he added.