By Our Correspondent
Tanahun, Nov. 21 : As oranges begin to ripen in the tree, fruit traders and contractors have begun to approach farmers in Tanahun district’s orange block and pocket areas.
This time in the year, traders book the oranges in the tree in advance and pluck it after a month when they fully ripe.
Kul Prasad Tiwari of Agricultural Knowledge Centre in Tanahun said that the road access to the rural areas of the district has helped the traders to reach there and transport fruit and other agricultural produces.
“They give some money in advance to the farmers and begin to pluck the fruit from the second week of December. They finish plucking by the end of December,” he said.
Bishwa Bahadur Adhikari, of Myagde Gaunpalika-2, said that five traders from Kathmandu and two from Pokhara had reached his orange farm to observe the fruits.
He had sold oranges worth Rs. 3 million last year. However, he said that the pricing of oranges is based on speculation rather than weighing of the fruit.
“I have not accepted advance money in a hope that it will fetch more money if I sell the fruit later,” said Adhikari. Oranges from the village are sold in the markets in Pokhara, Kathmandu and Chitwan.
Meanwhile, the Knowledge Centre said that the favourable weather this year would increase the production of oranges in the district.
Last year, the district produced oranges worth Rs. 240 million and this year the production is expected to reach Rs. 270 million.