The potato farmers of Gangteng and Phobji Villages in Wangdue Phodrang are using more fertilisers for better yield, despite the agriculture officials and local leaders discouraging them.
They use fertilisers such as Urea, Suphala and Single Superphosphate (SSP) in their potato field.
Today, farmers spend Nu 30,000 to 150,000 for fertilisers.
“Soil will absorb only limited manure. Therefore, it’s just wastage of their money and time, and also fertilisers will spoil the land ultimately. The land will also become unusable in future even they are doing well today. Moreover, it’s also not good for our health,” Kinley Wangmo, the Agriculture Extension Assistant of Phobji Gewog, said.
She said they provide training and create awareness in the community about the disadvantage of using fertilisers and to prioritize of using organic manure. But to no avail.
For farmers, their only concern right now is the high prices of fertilisers. Farmers are not allowed to import fertilisers themselves to prevent the spread of diseases.
They buy fertilisers from their local agents, which they claim is expensive. For a sack of SSP, farmers pay Nu 1,875, while the actual price in India they claim is Nu 1,050.
“A sack of urea costs about Nu 1000 in Falakata but when it reaches our village we pay about Nu 2000. We don’t understand what the issue is but when fertilisers reach here, the prices double,” Tshering Phuntsho from Gangteng, said.
“We are buying fertilisers from local suppliers. Therefore, we would be grateful if the government could give us permission to buy the fertilisers ourselves after paying some reasonable taxes. We are facing the problem with regard to this issue, since potato is our main cash crop,” Gyembo, also from Gangteng, said.
However, local suppliers denied the allegations. They said they just receive a commission for selling the fertilisers supplied by the National Seed Center who also fix the price.
The centre in Phuentshogling imports fertilisers from Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Siliguri.
Almost every household in Phobji and Gangteng grow potato as their main source of income. Potato plantation begins from February and lasts until March.
