Farmers show reluctance to cultivate wheat citing insufficient yields.

TANAHUN, Nov 7: About six tons of seeds of improved wheat varieties is lying unused at the warehouse of District Agriculture Development Office (DADO), Tanahun, as local farmers have shown reluctance to cultivate wheat.

Though agro officials have made repeated attempts to encourage wheat farming by providing subsidy in seeds, among other incentives, local farmers are not yet ready to cultivate wheat as the crop failed to give sufficient yields in the past years.

Officials of DADO Tanahun told Republica that the office spent Rs 238,000 this year to bring improved wheat seeds from Bhairahawa. The procurement cost is Rs 60 per kg. But the office has announced to distribute the seeds at Rs 30 per kg to encourage wheat farming in the district.

But farmers do not seem interested to cultivate wheat. As a result, the office has stored the seeds in its warehouse.

Lack of proper irrigation facilities, shortage of human resource, complicated farming procedure and deficient storage facility are said to be the reasons that are discouraging farmers. “If these issues are addressed, farmers could be attracted toward wheat farming,” Chetnath Adhikari, senior agriculture development officer, with DADO Tanahun, said.

Production of wheat in Tanahun has been falling with every passing year. While 3,760 tons of wheat was produced in 1,890 hectares in Fiscal Year 2014/15, it fell to 3,722 tons from 1,880 hectares in FY 2015/16, statistics maintained by DADO Tanahun shows.

“Wheat production fell further to 3,674 tons from 1,875 hectares in FY 2016/17,” Sashi Adhikari, planning officer with Tanahun DADO, told Republica.

According to the office, farmers of Byas, Bhimad, Bhanu, Bandipur and Myagde, among others, are cultivating wheat.

 
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