Banke. Premlal Sahu Teli, a fruit entrepreneur from Nepalgunj, has been working relentlessly to establish Karnali apples in the western market for the past four decades.

Before the Karnali Highway came into operation, transporting apples from Karnali to the Terai cities was a big challenge. Premlal Sahu Teli has the experience of transporting apples to Nepalgunj by air many years ago.

Although it was difficult to maintain the quality of apples due to poor transportation management, he continued his efforts to market the products of Karnali. “Earlier, in the absence of road, we had to sell and sell apples by air, but there was a high risk of apples getting crushed and rotting while bringing them by air,” he recalled.

However, there has been a revolutionary change in transportation after the operation of the Karnali Highway. At present, apples are being graded and packed from Jumla and sent directly to the Terai markets. “The apples of Karnali are of good quality as they are being graded and packed from Jumla, so we have been able to replace foreign apples,” said Sahu Teli.

The demand for apples in Karnali has increased as pesticides are not used and the quality is also good. Premlal, who has been selling apples of Karnali in Nepalgunj for the past four decades, now Karnali apples are dominating the fruit market of western Nepal. Consumers have liked it more because it is cheaper and better than Indian apples.

Due to easy road connectivity, customers from Surkhet, Nepalgunj, Dhangadhi and Butwal among other cities come to Jumla in search of apples. The apple of Karnali is attractive to look at and tasty to eat. According to Premlal, Jumli apple of Karnali has attracted the market in the crossroads of Nepalgunj, Kohalpur, Surkhet, Dang and Butwal.

Premlal, who is a wholesaler of apples from Karnali in Nepalgunj, sells apples in Lumbini and Sudurpaschim provinces. Red Delicious and Golden Delicious apples of Karnali are available in the market. The import of apples from Karnali is increasing in Nepalgunj. Apples are imported from Jumla and other districts of Karnali Province to Surkhet and Nepalgunj with direct road access to the market.

According to Premlal, apples of Karnali are supplied to Nepalgunj and Surkhet through fruit traders and farmers of Jumla and wholesale fruits are sold throughout the country as per the demand. According to him, around three thousand quintals of Karnali apples were sold from Nepalgunj alone last year. It is estimated that five thousand quintals will be sold this year.

“The current production has sustained the Nepali market for only three months, and if the government encourages us, apple production can be doubled by cultivating apples in double the area of the country,” Premlal said, adding, “There is a possibility and opportunity to sustain the total apple market of Nepal for six months if the production is increased and kept at the cooling center.” ’

So far, farmers and some entrepreneurs have been cultivating apples in Karnali on their own. According to entrepreneur Sahu, apples of Karnali can be sold all over the country if they pay attention to tipping, grading and packing. Stating that the market for apple of Karnali has been created at the urgency of farmers and entrepreneurs, he stressed that the government should implement policy and programmes by prioritizing apple farming.