Potatoes bring quick bucks to Eshikha
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Imphal, January 07 2013: People in Eshikha village of Khundrakpam Assembly Constituency in Imphal East district are now prospering from the huge money they earn from large scale potato cultivation in their paddy fields in the post-harvesting season.

Eshikha village is located about 18 km from the state capital Imphal.

Farmers from around 60 households in the hamlet are now growing potatoes in 45 lou pari (hectare) of paddy fields engaging in double cropping in the post-harvesting season and this has enable them to earn lakhs of rupees, said Naoroibam Kiran, a farmer of the village on Monday.

The small village is inhabited by a meager population of about 500 and their main occupation is agriculture, he explained, adding that large scale potato farming in the village started back in 2005 when around five households were growing potatoes in their fields.

Now, the potato cultivation has made the small rural community prosperous and their granaries are stockpiled with rice, but many of these villagers were not in the condition to build rice stocks in the granaries before, Kiran proudly said.

N Subadhani, wife of Kiran also said framers in the Eshikha cultivated potatoes in 40 pari last year and each pari earned about Rs 1, 20, 000 as profits within a short span of about three-four months.

However, she said farmers in the village are looking forward for help from the State Agriculture Department, and pointed out that the Department has done nothing for them till date except providing some guidelines on using technology and fertilizers to the farmers.

"This season, potato seed was bought at Rs 650 per bag as compared to previous year's rate which was available at Rs 350.Hence we need assistance from the state Agriculture Department," she added.

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