In Pema Gatshel’s Shali Village, farmers have been exploring new farming methods that will allow them to earn more without facing market issues. And growing potatoes during its off-season has seemed to fulfil this purpose. From growing it for self-consumption, farmers in Shali have taken to growing off-season potatoes on a large scale.
Shali village in Shumar Gewog is home to about four hundred people.
Oranges used to be the main cash crop, but now potatoes are slowly replacing it.
Many shifted to livestock and vegetable farming after their orange trees were affected by citrus greening, which impacted their earnings.
Growing seasonal potatoes is not productive due to the hot summer.
A few farmers experimented with off-season potato cultivation for personal consumption and found it to be quite productive.
Encouraged by their success, more than half of the village’s population has taken up growing off-season potatoes.
“We are pleased with our results. We would like to cultivate more if we receive support with seeds. I also want to expand the area we cultivate,” said Kesa Wangmo, a farmer.
“Even though we don’t get a good price, it’s always better to cultivate in larger quantities. When buyers come to our doorstep, they purchase immediately. We will cultivate more if the Gewog supports us. If not, I am considering buying seeds privately as well,” said Ugyen Zangmo, a farmer.
“If the government continues to support us, we would expand our cultivation area. We face challenges in finding seeds, so we are looking to the government for assistance,” said Tashi Lhamo, a farmer.
According to the gewog administration, they have been providing seeds and technical support to the farmers. If farmers continue to show dedication, the gewog says it wants to do more.
Shumar Gup Sonam Dendup said, “From our gewog administration, we consider food security to be a matter of national security. If farmers are showing such interest, we will continue to supply high-quality seeds annually through a cost-sharing mechanism.”
The gewog and district administrations have supplied over 2 metric tons of potato seeds to 30 households in Shali Gewog. The villagers have cultivated around 10 acres of land and harvested more than 20 metric tons of off-season potatoes this season. They were able to sell them for prices ranging from Nu 35 to 50 per kilogramme.
Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel
Edited by Yeshi Gyaltshen
