Farmers in the chilly Lahaul Valley of Himachal Pradesh are dealing with a tough blow. This cold desert region, tucked away in the Himalayas, usually buzzes with fresh vegetables like high-value broccoli and lettuce heading to markets. But this year, heavy rains and landslides have turned their fields into a nightmare, with crops rotting right where they grow.
The trouble started with multiple landslides in August and September that wrecked the Keylong-Manali-Kullu-Mandi highway. Government efforts to fix the roads dragged on, leaving farmers stuck without a way to get their produce out. Public buses and tourist cars sat idle for days, too. Without quick access, many growers simply skipped harvesting their cauliflower, peas, potatoes, broccoli, and lettuce. “The crops are just rotting in the fields,” says BJP leader and former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, who toured the area this week. He points to the government’s slow response as the main culprit, adding that no officials bothered to visit villages to check the damage.
Lahaul Valley farmers count on just one big crop each year, fed by glacial streams in this arid spot with scarce rain and heavy snow. This season’s unusual downpours—like the wild 2023 monsoon—have made things worse. Temperatures dropped, yields suffered, and even mud houses in places like Keylong cracked under the strain. Pea farmer Lal Singh Negi from near Keylong told reporters the valley rarely sees such heavy rain, and it’s hitting homes and harvests hard.
The losses are massive, running into millions of rupees. Thakur warns that the decaying cauliflower could spark health risks, like disease outbreaks. Normally, Lahaul’s peas and cauliflower flood northern Indian markets, fetching top prices when monsoons ruin crops elsewhere. But this time, villagers in spots like Lindur are fighting erosion too—the whole village risks collapse, with cracks in homes from the rains. Residents are urging quick relocation to safer ground.
On a brighter note, locals are eyeing their apple harvest to ease the pain. Apple picking in Lahaul and nearby Kinnaur valleys kicks off late October, bringing in premium, juicy fruits that dominate India’s market. Grower Jiwan Thakur hopes roads stay clear so these apples can reach buyers without a hitch. “They’ll help us bounce back from the vegetable disaster,” he says.
Vegetable farming covers about 2,200 hectares here and is a key economic driver. The valley also shines in seed potato production, a tradition dating back to 1854 when a German missionary started a farm near Keylong. Today, it grows pest-resistant varieties like Kufri Chandramukhi and Kufri Jyoti, plus chip-friendly ones such as Table Santana and Shafordi.
Thakur is calling on the Himachal Pradesh government to step up with compensation for farmers hit by the road delays and landslides. As the valley shakes off this setback, everyone’s watching to see if apples can save the day for these resilient growers.
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