SWABI: Peanut harvest is in full swing in various areas of Chota Lahor tehsil here and the season would continue till the end of next month.

Local farmers told this correspondent that peanuts had been cultivated on about 40,000 kanals of arid land in Chota Lahor.

Sardar Ali, a former MPA who belongs to Chota Lahor, recalled that the peanut cultivation was in fact introduced by the British when they conducted a survey of the area through an agriculture expert, who recommended that all the area’s arid land was fit for peanut crop. The peanuts produce then would always be bought by the British authorities and it lured the farmers of the entire region to start cultivate peanuts.

Farmers here cultivate peanut in various areas especially proper Chota Lahor, Jalsai, Jalbai and Tordher. Only wheat and peanut could be grown there due to arid nature of the land.

Qaumi Watan Party MPA Abdul Karim said that with the extension of Pehur High Level Canal the entire area of peanut cultivation was expected to get irrigation facility and then the growers might switch to growing other crops. “I could predict that the farmers would begin to abandon peanut cultivation because they would get more benefits from other crops,” he said.

The harvest was lower than the farmers’ expectations last year because of drought-like situation, but in the current year the farmers hope for a good yield. Abdullah of Jalbai said that timely rainfall always resulted in increased production. Last year, 50 kilogrammes of peanuts were sold at Rs4,000, but this year the price of the same quantity has reached Rs7,000.

The farmers said that most of them got payment in advance and after the harvest they would categorise the peanuts for sale. The hybrid peanut crop grown by farmers in different parts of the country has more yield than the traditional local variety of seed.

OLD FEUD: Two families here the other day resolved over a 100-year old blood feud and announced to forgive each other.

A gathering in this connection was held in Swabi Adda Mosque which was attended by elders and members of Razaar tehsil dispute resolution council who made the patch-up possible.

The feud was between Muqadar Bacha and Manaras Khan’s families of Palusai village, Razaar tehsil. It started with the killing of one of the members of Muqadar Bacha’s family over 100 years back and the fresh rivalry erupted when Manaras and Qaisar were killed in 2013.

Jehanzeb Kaka and other DRC members on this occasion appreciated both the parties for their spirit to live peacefully.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2017