Mustang campaigns to curb potato import

The Potato Zone Development Program has been introduced in Mustang for the current fiscal year. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development implemented this program in Mustang for the fiscal year 2024/25, aiming to increase potato production and productivity, reduce imports, and support food security.

Netra Prasad Bhatta, head of the project implementation unit in Mustang, said, “A budget allocation of Rs 12.7m has been made, of which Rs 11.7m will be spent on subsidies for the Potato Zone.” He added that the remaining Rs 1.3m will be used for service programs, including training, technology exhibitions, crop cutting, and data collection under the Potato Zone.

A total of 500 hectares has been designated for the Potato Zone Development Program. Farmers from agricultural farms, groups, and cooperatives within the zone are eligible to submit proposals. They will receive an 85 percent subsidy for infrastructure development and a 50 percent subsidy for the purchase of equipment, seeds, and other production and processing materials.

The Ministry of Animal and Poultry Development believes there is great potential for potato cultivation in Mustang, a Himalayan district with a temperate climate. In the fiscal year 2023/24, Mustang produced 7,031 tons of potatoes from 459 hectares, according to data from the Agriculture Knowledge Center.

Mustang’s local white potato is planted in March/April in Upper Mustang and harvested in August. In Lower Mustang, it is planted and harvested in February. Due to Mustang’s cold climate, the potatoes are known for their taste, juiciness, and high quality.