Parbat district is becoming more self-sufficient in food and vegetables. Farmers here earned over Rs 65.3 crore from the sale of agricultural products in the fiscal year 2081/82.
Six main crops
According to Parashuram Adhikari, head of the Agriculture Knowledge Center, the earnings came mainly from six key crops: potato, paddy, cardamom, vegetables, maize, and oranges. Among them, potato and orange were the top-selling products across the district.
Farmers also produced and sold paddy, seasonal and off-season vegetables, cardamom, maize, and cucumber seeds. Last year, the district produced 72,950 metric tons of food grains. This included 33,120 metric tons of maize and 5,220 metric tons of wheat.
Adhikari shared that farmers also produced 54 metric tons of barley, 100 metric tons of buckwheat, 7,850 metric tons of millet, and 527 metric tons of pulses. Similarly, the district produced 362 metric tons of oilseeds, 20,330 metric tons of potatoes, 12,610 metric tons of vegetables, and 4,015 metric tons of oranges.
Including oranges and other fruits, the total fruit production reached 13,307 metric tons last year.
Earnings from different products
Potatoes brought in Rs 7.73 crore, seeds and vegetables Rs 11 crore, oranges Rs 24.84 crore, honey Rs 4.5 crore, and cardamom Rs 1.81 crore.
To support farmers, the government provided subsidies covering 50% to 90% of costs for various agricultural programs. The center distributed over Rs 4 crore in subsidies during the fiscal year 2081/82.
It also distributed 203 mini power tillers, 25 grinding mills, 41 sprayers, and 5 brush cutters. For irrigation, 5,935 meters of pipes, 700 hill tanks, and 367 meters of canal repair were funded through subsidies.
The Agriculture Knowledge Center under Gandaki Province has received a budget of Rs 5.64 crore for the current fiscal year, with an additional Rs 21.43 lakh allocated from the federal government.
