Production of cash crops up 3pc
KATHMANDU, MAY 21 -
Although cereal output fell significantly this fiscal year, production of cash crops like pulses, jute, tea, coffee and cardamom saw a healthy growth, according to the Ministry of Agriculture Development. The ministry’s latest stats show that Nepal produced 5.88 million tonnes of cash crops (sugarcane, oilseed, tobacco, potato and jute) in the current fiscal year, up 3 percent from before. Productivity also rose 3 percent.
According to the figures, potato output increased a healthy 6.54 percent to 2.75 million tonnes. Meanwhile, the average market price of potato climbed 3.7 percent to Rs 1,866 per quintal. Potato prices are the highest in Kathmandu, averaging Rs 2,400 per quintal, while the lowest price has been recorded in Biratnagar at Rs 1,550 per quintal, according to the ministry. “The cost of production has pushed up potato prices.”
However, output of sugarcane and oilseed dropped 0.01 percent and 4.96 percent respectively. Tobacco output fell 4.96 percent. The ministry said that tobacco production and the land under cultivation had been gradually declining for a couple of years. This year, production of spices has increased significantly. The ministry said that garlic, turmeric and chilli surged 40.44 percent, 40.34 percent and 13.93 percent respectively. Output of large cardamom, the country’s major exportable crop, jumped 32.75 percent to 8,000 tonnes this year. “The major threat to large cardamom was the occurrence of viral diseases Chirke and Furkey in past years, however, the ministry’s project and technology to reduce the risk has helped to encourage farmers to grow this crop,” the ministry said.
However, output of ginger, one of the major exportable items, fell 10.46 percent to 228,501 tonnes. The fall has resulted in dramatic price rises, the ministry said. Farmers said that ginger prices jumped nearly 11-fold to reach a three-year high of Rs 130 per kg this season. Meanwhile, output of pulses has jumped 12 percent to 356,743 tonnes. An increase in lentil production, which makes up a major share of the total pulse crops, has been cited for the rise in output. Adequate rainfall on non-irrigated land where lentils were grown has increased the output, the ministry said.
Similarly, production of fruits and vegetables grew 5.54 percent and 3.36 percent respectively. Nepal produced 1.87 million tonnes of fruits on 103,733 hectares of land. The ministry said that commercial banana farming and increased orange output this year resulted in the higher output of fruits.
Likewise, the ministry has projected vegetable production to reach 3.33 million tonnes on 246,174 hectares this fiscal. Tea output grew 3 percent to 19,225 tonnes and coffee output increased 8 percent to 460 tonnes this year. Production of honey has been projected to grow 8 percent to 1,625 tonnes this fiscal. Nepal’s annual output of cereal crops has dropped 7.6 percent to 8.73 million tonnes. According to the ministry, the country produced 719,244 tonnes less food grain in 2012-13 compared to the last fiscal.
Floriculture trade worth Rs 1b
The Ministry of Agriculture Development said that the floriculture trade was worth Rs 1 billion this fiscal year. It amounted to Rs 660 million in the last fiscal year. The ministry said that a rise in flower prices was the major reason for the increased business transactions. There are around 600 nurseries involved in commercial floriculture in the country.
ANNUAL PRODUCTION 2012-13
Commodity 2011-12 2012-13 Change
(tonnes) (tonnes) (%)
Vegetables 3,298,816 3,409,722 3.36
Potato 2,584,301 2,753,390 6.54
Fruits 1,029,754 1,086,852 5.54
Pulses 319,770 356,743 11.56
Garlic 40,630 57,022 40.34
Turmeric 35,351 49,649 40.44
Chillies 27,429 31,252 13.93
Jute 14,424 15,500 7.45
Cardamom 6,026 8,000 32.75
Tea 18,726 19,225 2.66
Coffee 425 460 8.23
THOSE THAT WENT DOWN
Sugarcane 2,930,047 2,930,000 -0.01
Ginger 255,208 228,501 -10.46
Oilseed 179,145 179,000 -0.08
Tobacco 25, 57 2,430 -4.96
(Source: Agriculture Ministry)
Source: The Kathmandu Post
