Pandusain towards self-reliance through apple farming

By Sher Bahadur Sarki,Bajura, June 23:  The residents of Pandusain in Budhinanda Municipality-9, Bajura, are becoming self-reliant through apple farming.

Pandusain is a highly suitable location for apple production. Even in the past, locals used to grow traditional varieties of apples that yielded good results. However, due to the lack of road access in the village, the apples would often go to waste as there was no market for them.

With the expansion of the Martadi-Kolti road passing through the village in recent times, apple farming has become the main occupation for the locals. Currently, more than 300 households are engaged in apple cultivation.

Last year, farmers planted nearly 7,500 saplings of improved varieties like Golden High-Density Delicious apples. According to apple farmer Man Bahadur Rawat, this year too, around 2,500 saplings were planted.

He said, “Last year, the apples were of good quality and we sold apples worth nearly Rs. 5 million in the market. However, this year, due to a hailstorm during the flowering season, the yield has not been as good. The apples from irrigated orchards did well, but those without irrigation have not fared well.”

“Irrigation remains a challenge. While apple farming has become the main occupation for locals, there is still no irrigation facility in the village,” he said. If irrigation were available, the farmers could sustain their livelihoods entirely through apple cultivation. 

Sher Bahadur Rawat is the largest apple grower in Pandusain, followed by Man Bahadur and Charka Bogati, according to Rawat.

Pandusain is now often referred to as the ‘Apple Capital’ due to its high-quality production. Compared to previous years, farmers are now planting apples in much greater quantities. While they used to grow only local varieties, they now cultivate improved varieties brought from places like Manang, which start bearing fruit within two to three years.

Apple farming is highly productive in Pandusain, Bajura. “We are encouraging farmers here to grow improved varieties,” said Man Bahadur Rawat, Chairperson of Ward No. 9 of Budhinanda Municipality. Previously, only local apples were grown, but now improved varieties are also being produced, he added.

He said, “Earlier, even if apples were produced, only a few buyers would come, and sales were minimal. But now that the road has reached the village, apples are being sold in Martadi and other parts of the country.” Just last year, apples worth around Rs. 5 million were sold from this village alone. As apples began to sell directly from the village, local farmers started becoming self-reliant through apple farming, Rawat said.

Apart from Pandusain, apple farming is also flourishing in other parts of Bajura’s Himali, Swamikartik Khapar, Jagannath Badimalika, Gaumul and Khaptad Chededaha.

Among them, the highest production comes from Budhinanda, Swamikartik Khapar and Jagannath rural municipalities, followed by Himali, Badimalika, Gaumul and Khaptad Chededaha.

Despite increasing production, farmers still face difficulties in reaching the market as the Martadi-Kolti road becomes obstructed during the apple harvesting season. Although the Karnali Corridor has made things slightly easier, the frequent blockages on the Safebagar-Martadi and Martadi-Kolti roads during harvest time continue to trouble apple farmers.

Whereas Bajura once produced only local varieties of apples, it now grows improved varieties such as Fuji, Gala and Golden. According to Prem Raj Neupane, Information Officer at the Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Bajura, nearly 600 metric tonnes of apples produced in Bajura over recent years have been sold in various cities across the country.