Jumla apples now in market

By Netra Shahi, Jumla, Sept. 6: Farmers of Jumla are now busy picking organic apples and marketing them. Apples, which have been picked since the first week of Bhadra, have started reaching the market.

Farmers have supplied matured ripe apples to the market this time. The organic apples of Jumla have now reached in various markets of the country, including Surkhet, Nepalganj and Kathmandu.  According to chief of the District Agriculture Development Office, Ganesh Adhikari, the main source of income of the farmers of Jumla is apples, which started reaching the market with maturity.

He said that the ripe apples have now gone to the market because they create public awareness among farmers reaching the farms with the participation of the local level to pick matured apples and send them to the market.

He said that the police station on the border of Jumla and Kalikot has been requested to collect data on how many apples have been supplied by the farmers.

The Agriculture Office said that apple production will increase this time. Adhikari said that apples have been planted in about 4,000 hectares in Jumla where apples are grown in 2,925 hectares.

According to the District Agricultural Development Office, about 12,000 tonnes of apples were produced in the last year.

This time the apples are full of sweetness. Chief Adhikari said that the percentage of sugar in the ripe apples has now increased to more than 15 per cent and the sweetness has increased.

"If the sugar rises above 12 per cent, the apples will be sweet," said an agricultural expert.

This time the weather has also helped to increase production and apples become sweeter.

Similarly, it is estimated that 18,000 tonnes of apples will be produced this time.

According to the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation Project, Apple Super Zone Office Jumla, the quality and sweetness of apples is increasing this time.

According to Ganga Pokharel, chief of the office, apple super zone office is conducting orchard reinforcement, nursery strengthening, apple area expansion programme and irrigation programme and also providing technical support to farmers as per their requirement to increase area and production of apple.

According to him, the life of commercial farmers is about to change due to the economic progress of Jumla from apple cultivation.

Apple Super Zone Jumla has purchased 15,254 cartons to pack apples for distribution.

Farmers have taken 4,000 cartons at 50 per cent subsidy.

Likewise, Agricultural Development Office, Jumla has distributed 12,000 apple cartons to farmers with a 50 per cent subsidy.

Many farmers are now busy picking apples, but some are still waiting to send more mature apples to the market.

Farmer Ram Singh Rawal, a resident of Sinja Rural Municipality 5, said that there are 1,200 plants in his garden and 1,000 plants are producing apples.

He said that the apples are not yet harvested.  Gopal Rokaya, a farmer of Hima Rural Municipality-3, said that he has 450 apple plants, but 250 apple trees give fruits. 

He said that there is a plan to send apples after further maturity that have grown in 250 plants.