ROURKELA: Even as vegetable prices continue to soar, the horticulture potential of the Sundargarh district is not being tapped. If done properly, it could come handy in keeping vegetable prices under check across the year. Agro experts said an integrated and holistic approach is the need of the hour to reduce the demand-supply gap and help the local agro economy grow on its own. Rourkela city has been a big consumer of vegetables with an unofficial population of nearly six lakh. Besides the Nuagaon block, part of Bonai sub-division, especially the Lahunipara block in the district along with tribal farmers from adjacent Jharkhand are major suppliers. Vegetable growing pockets in these two blocks are perennially plagued by lack of irrigation, surface communication and damage to crops by cattle grazing. District Agriculture Officer (DAO), Panposh, BN Mohanty said of the total around 23,000 hectares (ha) of farm land, Nuagaon has barely eight per cent of the area under irrigation for rabi. Similarly, of around 17,000 ha less than 10 per cent has irrigation in Lahunipara. Recently, the prices of vegetables skyrocketed with even potatoes selling at Rs 24 while other vegetables continue with a higher price up to seven times. Local authorities are ignorant of the potential of Talbahali, Kuliposh, Budabhui, etc. in Lahupara to grow quality litchi. Khandadhar waterfall for ages has been feeding these villages and inhabitants need to be educated on growing