Baglung. Under the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project Unit, 99.5 hectares of land has been rounded up in different parts of Baglung and Parbat.

Narayan Poudel, chief of the project unit, said that the circular has been made from the fiscal year 2076/77 BS to attract farmers to commercial farming by connecting farmers through farmer groups and agricultural cooperatives. The vacant land of the village has been used after the land was encroached upon.

According to Poudel, orange saplings have been planted in seven hectares, walnuts in 12 hectares, vegetables in 20 hectares, lemons in 12.5 hectares, apples in 27 hectares and kibi saplings in 11 hectares with an investment of Rs 10 million.

The office has started apple cultivation by consolidating land at Navi village of Dhorpatan municipality-9. In the last fiscal year, 280 ropanis of apple saplings of red, golden and royal delicious varieties have been planted.

Nande Sunar, a farmer from Navi village, said they have been cultivating apples in the area for almost two decades but have not been able to reap enough benefits. He said that the farmers were excited after the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project inspired them to cultivate apples.