Manang, January 30

Local farmers in Manang are very happy because of continuous snowfall, which they believe bodes well for seasonal crops.

Upper Manang, Tanki Manang, Bhraka, Dhayaru, Khangsar, Pisang and the district headquarters Chame have witnessed incessant snowfall for a week.

Kul Bahadur Ghale, a local of Chame Rural Municipality, said snowfall was best for apple farming. He said melting snow was making the soil wet and crops would grow better. “The rain dries immediately on the land, but when the snow melts gradually, it helps crops grow better,” he added. He said snowfall would provide enough irrigation for crops.

Similarly, another farmer Tsehring Gurung at Nisyang Rural Municipality said the roots of saplings would be wet due to snowfall. “The snow will provide sufficient water to plants,” he added. Gurung further said farming would be easier and production would also increase with snowfall.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Agriculture Modern Project Implementation Unit (Apple Zone), Manang Officer Rajeshwor Silwal said the snow would help he apple, potato and wheat among other seasonal crops. He added that farmers looked happy after it snowed.