Pemagatshel sees unusual cropping pattern
12 December 2009
This year was an unusual year for mandarin farmers in Pemagatshel. Places unknown for growing mandarin saw abundant and good quality mandarin yield while places known for quality mandarin saw poor yield.
Sangay Dema, a young farmer in Jepobrangsa village, inherited some mandarin trees from her parents. Since the village is at high altitude, the trees never bore fruit worth selling. But this year, the yield surprised her. Trees bore abundant and good quality fruit for the first time. She earned around Nu 6,000 from her few trees. There were similar stories from other places at higher altitudes.
Contrary to this, there were dismal mandarin yield in the lower regions, which are the mandarin hub in the dzongkhag. It was a big disappointment for farmers, who thrive on mandarin production at this time of the year. There was virtually nothing to be harvested. The worst thing is that the trees were slowly dying of a disease called “citrus greening” which is also called huanglongbing (HLB) or the Yellow Dragon Disease.
Jamtsho Wangdi, a farmer from Denchi, has been producing about three truck-loads of mandarin annually for the last 10 years. This year, he had nothing to harvest. Despite all efforts, he said his orchard was slowly dying.
“The disease was earlier seen in the low lying valleys. We thought that trees were dying because of unfavourable climatic conditions, but it slowly began spreading towards higher grounds. Last year, it affected orchards around Denchi village, and this year, a few orchards in Khothakpa village are showing signs of infection,” said Jamtsho Wangdi, sounding helpless.
“The disease is prevalent in low altitude areas and plans to spray insecticide against the vector psyllid, which spreads the bacteria causing greening, will be made mandatory from this year,” said Dzongkhag Agriculture Officer Kiran Subedi. He also said a team from National Plant Protection Centre will be visiting the dzongkhag soon for support.
There is no cure for the disease. Spraying insecticide against the psyllid, removing and destroying the infected trees and banning the movement of plants from infected to non-infected areas are some of the measures that could be taken to curb the spread of the disease. Yield in Khar village, another mandarin hub, was reported to be poor. Mandarin trees in lower Khar were dying, said a school teacher.
Yield in Yalang village was also reported to be dismal with orchards showing signs of greening.
But in Bartseri and other higher altitudes, the yield was much better than that of the previous years. Many people believe that this is due to global warming. “Improved yield and quality of fruits in the higher altitudes indicate the effects of global warming making those places ideal for the crop,” said Jamtsho Wangdi.
According to the World Meteorological Report, there was global temperature increase of 0.44C (0.79F) over the long-term average. Short-term record, however, reveal significant rise in global temperature.
By Gyembo Namgyal
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Loading ...Zakar for Friday July 30 2010
20th Day of the 06th Month - Iron Male Tiger Year
Auspicious for: Carrying out daily chores and making offerings.
Inauspicious for: Starting construction of new house, sowing seeds, planting flowers, entering the new house, shifting houses, calling upon superiors, starting business, doing charity works in the name of deceased, taking out dead bodies, paying grain debts, undertaking long journey and holding discussion.
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Is it not that Sangay Dema, the young farmer or her Jepobrangsa village is nearer to Yuelkha Norbu zangpo’s “Neykhang”? Probably the Yuelha must be happier to see getting an access road to his neykhag to drive his Land Rover/Prado.
The Denchi is too close to the Khotakpa Gypsum Mines and far away from the Yuelha, the local protector.
OR
Is it the global warming that is displacing the habitat of the Mandarin trees?
“According to the World Meteorological Report, there was global temperature increase of 0.44C (0.79F) over the long-term average. Short-term record, however, reveal significant rise in global temperature.”
Is it not that Sangay Dema, the young farmer or her Jepobrangsa village is nearer to Yuelkha Norbu zangpo’s “Neykhang”? Probably the Yuelha must be happier to see getting an access road to his neykhag to drive his Land Rover/Prado.
The Denchi is too close to the Khotakpa Gypsum Mines and far away from the Yuelha, the local diety.
OR
Is it the global warming that is displacing the habitat of the Mandarin trees?
“According to the World Meteorological Report, there was global temperature increase of 0.44C (0.79F) over the long-term average. Short-term record, however, reveal significant rise in global temperature.”
YeshiP, why the cynicism of Yuelha? Show some respect for our traditions and customs. Have you ever seen a yuelha drive prado?
From the report it is clear that mandarin in Denchi village are dying from the disease while global warming could be responsible for better fruits in colder climes.