Flood hit lotus stem vegetable goes missing in valley, farmers devastated

The floods that hit the valley September last year affected everything – from human lives to busy markets, everything was hit. And among the worst hit are the farmers whose crops got damaged completely. Nadroo (Lotus stem) which is one of the most preferred delicacy in the valley mostly in winter season is missing from vegetable markets this season. The farmers are also fearful of a possible drought for the next two to three years.

Nadroo, or Nelumbium, grows in wetlands and swamps under water which then sprouts into a lotus flower between a huge leaf of size of at least a feet of diameter. As per the local farmers, the floods are the major reason for the disappearance of this vegetable. The farmers who depended on the cultivation of Nadroo have nothing to sell this season and they are apprehensive if they would be able to grow it even next year.

Most people in the neighbourhood, live in makeshift houses and due to the area being notified cannot construct new homes. The Nadroo farms lie desolate and the collard greens of Dal, regarded as the best in the valley, also have been affected.

The lotus seed pods have also decomposed adding on to the woes of the farmers. The seeds of Nadroo, which grow from April to September, in Manasbal, Wular and Anchar lakes can be used in Dal as well, however, the growers are skeptical about the next season and the plant which is a national symbol, faces extinction in these lakes.

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