281 metric tonnes food shortfall in Dadeldhura

By Our Correspondent,Dadeldhura, Feb. 15: Dadeldhura is short of 281 tonnes of food. According to the data of Agriculture Development Directorate, there will be a shortfall of 281 tonnes of food in the current fiscal year 2022/23.

Yagya Raj Joshi, acting Director of Agriculture Development Deteriorate Dipayal, Doti, informed that due to the reduction of cultivated land, the production has also decreased. He said that fertility in soil has also decreased in Sudurpaschim Province. 

Speaking at a one-day interactive conference organised by Agriculture Development Deteriorate Dipayal, Doti on effective implementation of Provincial Agricultural Programme, Joshi said that there should be 3.6 per cent orgarnic matters in soil but 52 per cent cultivated land lacked this quality.

 He informed that food crisis may occur when soil fertility decreased. He stressed the need for using compost fertilizers to save the soil. 

Dadeldhura has 153,800 hectares of land in total and of that arable land is 11, 616 hectares but farmers are cultivating only 10,667 hectares of land in the district. Out of this, the area of land irrigated throughout the year is 3,202 hectares, according to Keshav Pandey of Agriculture Development Deteriorate Dipayal, Doti, said.  

Of 139,420 people now living in the district, 65 per cent of the population is dependent on agriculture. Cultivable land per farmer is 0.5 per cent. The data of Agriculture Knowledge Centre has shown the supply has not reached although there is an increase in crops production. 

Last year, rice production was 2.9 tonnes per hectare and in the current fiscal, it has increased to 3.3 tonnes per hectare. This is an increase by 13.7 per cent.   

Similarly, maize production stood at 2.4 tonnes per hectare last year and it went up to 3 tonnes per hectare this fiscal.

 According to Ram Chandra Bhatta, senior official at Agriculture Knowledge Centre Dadeldhura, the area covered by oilseed crops was 17 hectares last year and 20 hectares this fiscal year. Wheat was grown in 8,744 hectares of land last year and this year it increased to 8,755 hectares. 

Likewise, potato was produced in 200 hectares last year and this year it was grown in 250 hectares. Likewise, 21 tonnes potatoes were produced last year and 22 tonnes this year.

Apple production in Dadeldhura was nine tonnes last year and it increased to 10 tonnes this fiscal year. Last year, walnut production was 400 tonnes which increased to 450 tonnes this year. The production of orange was 2,400 tonnes last year and 2,500 tonnes this year.

Likewise, banana production was 820 tonnes last year and this year it reached 850 tonnes, pulses production was 1,663 tonnes last year and this year it has increased to 1,635 tonnes. Vegetable production also increased to 18 tonnes per hectare from 13.4 tonnes last year. 

He said that the federal government provided subsidies worth Rs. 7.2 million and the provincial government Rs. 75.1 million to Dadeldhura this fiscal year.