सिंहदरबार संवाददाता
Kavrepalanchok. Farmers are worried after the khatar trees in Mandandeupur Municipality started drying up. The khatar trees in the Mandan region, known for khatar, have started drying up, affecting the income of farmers.
Farmers here say that the khatar trees have started drying up for the past four years. Local Gyanmani Nepal said that about 1,200 khatar trees have dried up during this period. ‘Farmers here are very worried after the khatar trees started drying up for the past four years, farmers are now seeking treatment,’ he said.
Hundreds of trees in Jwanetar, Jogitar, Kantitar and upper Srichaur and Jyamdi in Mandandeupur, where khatar is grown, have dried up. Nepal says that farmers who used to consider khathar as a viable source of income along with vegetables and food grains in this region are now disappointed.
He said, ‘Farmers are not aware of why the khathar trees are drying up and dying, the reason for the drying up has not been found out. During the season, a single tree used to earn Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000, but now the income is almost zero.’
Farmer Pashupati Shrestha had more than a dozen khathar trees in his farm-Kanla a few years ago. Of these, eight have now dried up, he said. He, who used to sell 40,000 kathahar every year, has now reached a point where he cannot sell kathahar at all.
‘They are gradually growing, when will the remaining plants also dry up, now the situation has started to arise that the trees have to be cut down and burned,’ said Shrestha. While 300 to 400 kathahar plants used to grow on a single plant, now even 150 plants are becoming difficult. As the kathahar trees themselves have started drying up, farmers have been demanding a study on this.
There are around 2,000 kathahar trees in this area. This has become a challenge for agricultural experts, according to Hari Prasad Nepal, a social leader and chairman of Chandeni Mandan. “A team of agricultural experts is conducting an investigation, and preliminary reports have been received that the tree has dried up due to mold on its roots,” he said.
The investigation conducted by the District Agricultural Development Office, Dhulikhel, has revealed that the tree has been affected by mold and insects at its roots. “But it has not yet been proven that this is the disease, and further investigation is needed,” said Agriculture Officer Rama Karki.
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