Extensive apple garden in Jumla, above 28,000 apple trees in one garden

By Netra Shahi, Jumla, May 1: Extensive commercial apple farming has started in Jumla which has economic potential for apple farming.

Farmers have started planting apple saplings commercially with a view to be strong economically.

Around 35,000 apple plants have been planted in Gutichaur Agro Farm which is operated in Jaljala, Dhapada and Kadakhola under the leadership of Min Bahadur Bhandari, a farmer of Gutichaur Rural Municipality-5, Jumla.

Around 28,000 apple trees have been planted in one place.

Apples of Fuji, Kingrang and Golden varieties were planted in that garden, and now apples have started blooming in that garden.

Bhandari said that around 200 tonnes of apples are expected to grow this year. Around 80 tonnes of apples were produced last year.

He said that he managed the farm with an investment of about Rs. 220 million.

He has planted 28,000 apple trees in one orchard, 5,500 trees and 2,800 apple trees in other two orchards in Gutichaur Agro Farm.

Bhandari informed that businessman Umesh Shrestha recently decided to invest 50 per cent in the apple garden of Gutichaur Agro Farm.

The farm has received assistance of around Rs. 4.7 million under the Prime Minister Agricultural Modernisation Programme of the government.

According to Khem Bahadur Shahi, chief of Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation Apple Superzone Office, Jumla, subsidies of Rs. 2.5 million have been given for planting apple trees and Rs. 2.2 million for irrigation and fences.

Similarly, Tanka Giri, a farmer of Gutichaur Rural Municiplaity-3, Lower Gutichaur, has engaged in commercial farming by planting 14,000 apple trees in 22 hectares of land. He started commercial apple farming by establishing a company 'Himali Tea and Agro Private Limited'.

Farmer Giri has received a subsidy of Rs. 2.45 million from the Super Zone Office for commercial apple farming, said the Super Zone Office.

According to him, the apple garden was constructed with a lot of hard work because he foresaw economic prosperity from apples.

Similarly, a community apple garden with 2,800 plants has also been established in Gutichaur Rural Municipality-5.

Local Dharma Bhandari said that the apple orchard was established collectively.

According to him, the community garden covered the land of 40 farmers. The government has started investing in that area as well.

The Prime Minister's Agriculture Modernisation, Apple Super Zone Office, Jumla, has provided a 50 per cent subsidy for the purchase of 1,500 apple trees.

After thousands of plants were planted in model gardens, these gardens have now started to become an area for agro tourism and observation.

The District Agricultural Development Office, Jumla said that after starting the large investment in model gardens in the district, there will be a further increase in the production of apples in the district and it is necessary to promote it.

With the coordination of DADO, concerned bodies, including the political parties of the district, district coordination committee, local government and local administration visited apple gardens of that area.

According to Ganesh Adhikari, chief of District Agriculture Development Office, Jumla, around 18,000 tonnes of apples were produced in the district in the last fiscal year.

He said that although Jumla apples are sold the most in the Nepali market, apple production and management in Jumla is important to reduce imports from abroad.