Apple picking begins in Jumla after technical approval

Naurate Nepali / Jumla: The Himalayan district of Jumla is well known for its apple production. Out of around 20,000 households, 19,000 households are engaged in apple farming.

There was a time when apples produced in Jumla could not be sold and farmers had to feed them to livestock. But the situation has changed. After road transport reached Jumla on April 14, 2007, locally produced apples began finding markets outside the district.

Today, traders visit farmers’ orchards to buy and collect apples. With the expansion of the road network, the problem of apples going to waste is gradually coming to an end. Some farmers earn hundreds of thousands of rupees annually from apple farming.

Birsh Sarki of Depalgaun in Guthichaur Rural Municipality-5 is one such farmer. He earns more than Rs. 500,000 a year from selling apples. He said he is preparing to sell a similar quantity of apples this year as well.

Like Sarki, farmers across Jumla are currently busy picking apples. Farmers have started harvesting after technicians gave permission, saying the apples have developed good colour, sweetness and are ready for consumption.

Ram Bhakta Adhikari, chief of the Agriculture Development Office, Jumla, said farmers in Tila, Tatopani and Guthichaur rural municipalities and Chandannath Municipality have started picking apples.

According to him, apples ripen earlier in these local units than in other parts of the district. Apples in Patarasi, Hima, Sinja and Kanakasundari rural municipalities have not yet ripened, he said. Apples in these areas are expected to become ready for consumption after August 26.

The Agriculture Development Office said apples from Jumla will be allowed to be transported to markets outside the district only after the first week of September.

Adhikari urged farmers and traders not to transport apples outside the district before the third week of August.

Apple farming currently covers 4,604 hectares in Jumla, of which apples are bearing fruit on 2,378 hectares. Fuji apples have been planted on 53.5 hectares, with fruit being produced on 52 hectares, according to the Agriculture Development Office.

Jumla is expected to produce 19,500 metric tonnes of apples this year. Meanwhile, a recommendation from the agriculture development section of the concerned local government has been made mandatory for transporting apples outside Jumla district.

The Agriculture Development Office said the requirement was introduced after cases were reported of apples being transported to outside markets before they had fully matured.

Adhikari said traders buying apples must obtain a recommendation from the agriculture development section of the concerned local government.