Closure of markets for just a day forces them to bear a loss of at least Rs 2 million, according to the farmers. [break]
Statistics of Fresh Vegetables Cooperatives Association (FVCA) show that farmers in Chitwan are presently producing some 15 tons of seasonal vegetables a day. Of that, 10 tons are exported to Kathmandu, Pokhara and other markets of the country, while the rest is consumed in locally.
“If their export to other districts is affected, farmers in the district will instantly suffer a loss of Rs 2 million,” said Purna Datta Bhusal of FVCA.
Farmers are mainly producing bottle gourds, smooth gourds, beans, lady´s finger and bitter gourds, among others. Given that seasonal vegetables perish rapidly, farmers expressed lamentation over the planned Maoist strike from Sunday.
“These seasonal vegetables need to be dispatched to the market as soon as they are picked up. But Maoists have said they will not allow vehicles to ply. This will inflict severe losses to us,” said Chuda Mani Bartaula, a farmer of Bhandara, who is also the president of Chitwan FVCA.
Because of the devastating impact of the strike, which forces harvest to rot, farmers said it will hit their production cycle as a whole. “By the time the strike ends, farmers lose everything and consumers need to rely on imports from India to meet their needs,” said Bartaula.
Referring to the situation, vegetables farmers of Chitwan in 2004 had protested strikes by throwing their produce on the highway. They had demanded political parties to allow at least the vehicles ferrying vegetables to ply during the strike.
Farmers lamented that such concern and protest which they raised during the King´s rule is not being heard by the democratic parties and leaders they elected.
According to District Agricultural Development Office (DADO), farmers pursue seasonal vegetable farming in 1,200 hectares of land in Chitwan. Their production totals to around 15,400 tons during a season.
Farmers said they need to invest as much as Rs 70,000 to start seasonal vegetable farming in a hectare of land. “It seems the Maoist strike will throw all our investment and labor in drain,” said Bartaula.
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