Disease-hit potato growers seek relief

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, April 23

Incessant rain in several parts of Kangra district has ruined the hopes of hundreds of farmers who were expecting a bumper crop this year.

Potato growers from Paror, Mehanja, Sulaha of Kangra valley demanded relief from the state government, saying that their 60 per cent crop had been damaged in the recent rain.

They urged the state government to provide necessary compensation as late blight had hit their crop adversely.

Cold weather, coupled with rain creates conditions for the spread of late blight, a fungal infection. Potato is the only cash crop of the valley and nearly 10,000 hectare land had been affected by the disease.

“Late blight spreads fast and we are worried as 50-60 per cent crop has already been destroyed in the region,” a farmer from Paror said.

He said potato cultivation needed an investment of around Rs 40,000–50,000 per hectare, but due to the infection they had lost all hopes of making any profit and would be contented if they get their investment back.

Potato growers were hopeful of good returns this year and expecting that a letup in rain would halt the spread of blight. But their hopes were dashed.

District Agriculture Officer Arun Vyas said farmers should change the crop pattern in the valley and avoid cultivation of potato for a certain period.

“Unless the fungus is eliminated from the area completely, farmers cannot escape the chance of their crop getting infected,” he said.