By Our Correspondent, Hirapur (Sarlahi), Feb. 23: Tomato farming has been a boon to local farmers in the northern belt of the district to meet the living expenses of their family and provide education to their children.

With the arrival of main season of tomato farming, most farmers are now busy harvesting their products and selling them in the market.

Rajkumar Mahato, a local resident of Hirapur of Lalbandi Municipality Ward No. 11, said that he had already sold tomatoes worth Rs. 200,000 this season from his farm.

 Mahato has cultivated tomatoes in 16 katthas of land. “I am expecting to sell additional tomatoes worth 100,000 this season,” he said. Tomato field of Mahato seemed red due to ripened tomatoes in the plants.

“Vegetable farming is the main source of my income; among others, tomato contributes largely to my income,” Mahato said.

“I have been able to meet all my family expenses and education of my children from the income generated from vegetable farming,” he said.

Mahato said that farmers had faced shortage of labourers to harvest tomato as it was peak time of tomato harvesting.

Farmers not having their own land are also engaged in tomato farming by leasing other’s land.

“I don’t have my own land. I have taken 12 katthas of land in lease for tomato farming,” said Som Bahadur Mikchan of Lalbandi Municipality-8.

Mikchan is hiring land at Rs. 2,000 per kattha per annum. This season Mikcha sold tomatoes worth Rs. 80,000 so far.

“In lack of irrigation facilities, there is no chance of cultivating other crops; we are involved in tomato farming based on rainwater,” he said.

Shyam Sundar Mahato, a local of Sasapur of Hariwan Municipality, said that tomato farming had been supportive to meet family expenses.

Tomato cultivated in five dhurs of land yields 10 to 12 crates of tomatoes per harvest which generates revenue worth Rs. 7,000 to 8,000 while selling in the market, Mahato, who was found in Lalbandi Bazaar carrying his tomatoes in an ox-cart, said.

In Sarlahi district, which is also regarded as capital of tomato, farmers of northern parts, including Lalbandi, Hirapur, Chandranagar, Pathharkot, Ranigunj, Nawalpur, Assapur, Atrauli, Ghukaulir have been engaged in commercial tomato farming.