Traders said vegetable exports to India have soared in recent months as Indian quarantine officials no longer give unnecessary trouble to Nepali exporters in the name of ensuring quality. Taking advantage of growing prices in bordering Indian towns, farmers in the district have been supplying their produces to Indian markets through local cooperatives.
According to Shidhuwa Multipurpose Cooperatives (SMC), a leading cooperative representing vegetable farmers in the district, vegetable exports to India have increased from Rs 10 million to Rs 30 million this year as compared to the previous year.
According to the SMC, it exported 40,000 tons of cabbage, 350 tons of cauliflower, 200 tons of chilly, 100 tons of radishes and 100 tons of green peas over the year.
The district has been supplying vegetables items including cabbages, cauliflowers, beans, radishes, carrots, green peas and green chilly to markets in southern neighbor.
“Vegetables exports to India have become easier as Indian quarantine laboratory has been cooperating with us to increase exports from Nepal,” said Meghendra Gurung, the managing director of SMC.
According to traders, Parewadi, Murtidhunga, Hattikharka, Marekakatahare, Teliya and Tangkhuwa of Dhankuta district and some villages of Sankhuwashabha are the major suppliers of vegetables to India.
“With the increasing demands in Indian towns, we have started different programs through more than a dozen cooperatives to encourage local farmers to increase production of vegetables that fetch good price,” Gurung added.
Under the program, farmers are getting information about modern farming techniques and the use of organic fertilizers and improved seeds to increase yields.
“We have set a target of exporting vegetables worth Rs 40 million next year,” Gurung added.
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