Jumla farmers drawn to Italian Fuji apples

Netra Shahi / Jumla, Jan. 11: Demand for Italian Fuji apples has increased in Jumla. In recent years, planting and production of Fuji apples along with local ones has increased in Jumla.

The number of Fuji apple trees has increased after apple production started within a year of planting.

The Apple Super Zone Office under the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation, Jumla, which has been providing technical support for apple production, has informed that the number of farmers planting Fuji apples has started increasing.

According to Ganga Pokharel, chief of the office, the apple super zone office alone has distributed 27,000 apple seedlings.

Italian Fuji apple seedlings have been distributed for the last three years as per the demand of the farmers, he said.

According to Pokharel, the Super Zone Office has provided 5,000 apple seedlings to farmer Min Bahadur Bhandari of Jumla.

About 30,000 apple seedlings have been planted in the Fuji Apple Agro farm of Min Bahadur Bhandari in Guthichaur.

Similarly, farmers have started planting apple seedlings from Italy through agro farm and cooperatives.

Plants grown by Jumla Agro Farm and Hamro Agricultural Cooperative at Seradab of Chandannath Temple in Jumla Chandannath Municipality have started giving fruits commercially.

Similarly, the attraction has increased after the Italian Fuji apple seedlings planted in various places, including Tamti and Tatopani, started yielding in Jumla.

Farmer Min Bahadur Bhandari has started exemplary work by planting 30,000 apple saplings last year.

About 60,000 Italian Fuji apples have been planted in Jumla, including 27,000 saplings provided to farmers by the Apple Super Zone Office, Jumla.

The Office has been providing apple saplings in subsidy and also providing required technical assistance to the farmers.

Commercial production begins

Farmers are attracted to the plantation of Fuji apple as it gives fruits within a year of plantation. But in the last three years, about 40 tonnes of apples have been harvested, according to the apple super zone office.

Here, the farmers are happy after the Fuji apples started to give fruit. Local Saroj Shahi expressed happiness over the production of apples worth Rs. 800,000 to Rs. 1,000,000 for the last two consecutive years.

About 1,000 apple trees planted by Hamro Agricultural Cooperative of Chandannath Municipality have started to yield. Farmers have stated that the price of Fuji apple is up to Rs. 250 per kg now.

At a time when various locally produced apples, including Royal Delicious, are being produced, Italian Fuji is also beginning to bring prosperity to the farmers of Jumla.