Mechanisation of agriculture reducing production cost

By Our Correspondent Damak, July 16: The mechanisation of agriculture in Jhapa has reduced the cost of agricultural production in recent times.

However, experts said that the living standard of farmers will not improve and efforts towards self-reliance will not succeed unless attention is paid to quality production and marketing of agricultural produce.

The participants made this remark at a programme organised by the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation Project, Project Implementation Unit Jhapa at the Multipurpose Joint Cooperative Agricultural Farm of Kamal Rural Municipality on Wednesday.

Chief of the District Coordination Committee, Jhapa, Biswonath Baral, stressed on the need to focus on marketing along with the modernisation and mechanisation of agriculture.

He said that farmers are trying to increase their production but are frustrated as they are not getting fair price and market for their produce.

He said that there was no uniformity in cost sharing when the state provided machinery and tools related to agriculture.

Stating that in recent times, there has been an emphasis on increasing production, he said that it is necessary to make a programme on quality production and marketing as well.

"It is not possible to increase production only by helping farmers, they should be assured that they will get a reasonable price for the paddy and other agricultural products," said Baral.

Sagar Bista, Acting Chief of Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Jhapa, said that commercialisation has started in Jhapa with the use of modern technology, adding that it would help in self-reliance in agricultural produce.

Farmers are now getting direct assistance in mechanisation and related technical supports, he said.

Chief of the Project and Senior Agriculture Development Officer Rabindra Subedi said that the cultivation of paddy has started commercially in Jhapa, along with consolidation farming.  He also said that great changes have taken place in the last five years, especially in paddy farming.

The use of machinery is helping in reducing the cost of production, he said.

He said that they have been assisting the farmers in marketing the produce, managing the storage in case the produce fails to get sold immediately and providing access to the dryers for drying paddy and maize.

"We are in the process of making programmes based on the demands and needs of the farmers through direct discussions," said Subedi.