Syangja’s Aryal grows oranges round the year

By Arjun Kafle,Syangja, Aug. 27: Finding fresh oranges round the year in Syangja, a district famous for oranges, may look unusual for many, but it is a reality. Oranges of different varieties are available in the district throughout the year.

In the orange groves of 45-year-old Bodhraj Aryal of Mayantari in Ward No. 11 of Putlibazar Municipality in the district, one can taste different varieties of oranges every month.

Aryal’s orange farm spread over an area of 45 ropanis of rented land has succeeded in carving a distinct identity for the district.

Aryal’s orange grove has 20 varieties of oranges, including Nepali ones. Now, the Japanese Unshu oranges are ripe for harvest.

“In my garden, oranges of the Unshu variety are available in August and September while Japanese Muntala will be ripe in October,” he said.

Starting in November, Syangja’s special sweet orange will be available.

Aryal said that oranges of the American variety will be ripe in March and Pakistani Kinnow in April.

In May, June and July, one can taste the oranges of the Australian variety – Mandarin – in his farm, he said.

Although there are five farmers in the district growing the Unshu variety of orange, Aryal is the only one who produces exotic oranges of other varieties. There are 1,000 Nepali, 100 Unshu, 20 Muntala and 100 other orange trees in Aryal’s garden.

He said that with the aim of substituting the orange import, he brought orange plants from abroad and planted the off-season oranges. Aryal said that off-season oranges are three times more expensive than Nepali ones.

He said that the Japanese oranges were brought from Kirtipur 14 years ago, and that at the initiative of experts, they brought oranges suitable for the soil and expanded them further by grafting.

He said that, since oranges are grown at an altitude of 800 metres above sea level, he searched for the same suitable climate for planting the oranges.

Stating that he earns around Rs 1.5 million annually by selling oranges, he said that he aims to expand the area where the oranges brought from foreign countries are now growing.