By Our Correspondent , Baitadi, Mar. 14 : Teachers in Baitadi have begun commercial potato farming in an area of 40 ropanis.

Krishna Bista and wife Kalawati Bhandari Bista, residents of Patan Municipality—8, Baitadi started the business planting 40 quintals of potato seeds in 40 ropanis of land.

Krishna, who holds a B.Sc., teaches science at Gyaneshwor Secondary School whereas Kalawati teaches at a child development class at a local school. The couple engage in commercial farming when not at school.

Their area, Khodpe is famous for its potato. It is one of the major cash crops of the place.

To utilise their barren land, the duo had come up with the agro-idea. They have invested around Rs. 700,000 in the business.

“We wanted to do something unique, so we came up with the idea.” Krishna said.

He added, “We invested around Rs. 100,000 on irrigation. Rs. 350,000 was used to build a mesh-wire fence to protect the farm from wild boars. Agro Knowledge Centre, Baitadi too supported our initiative with a financial assistance of Rs. 150,000.”

Their newly registered New SK Agriculture and Animal Multipurpose Farm is supposed to grow 15 kg of potatoes for 1 kg of seeds.

The farm has also been able to employ the locals.