Myagdi. This year, orange worth Rs 31.6 crore has been produced in Myagdi. Orange is the main cash crop of Myagdi.

According to Agriculture Development Office, Myagdi, oranges were produced in 430 hectares of land at the rate of 10.5 metric tons per hectare.

Sanjeev Bastola, chief of the office, said that data of orange production was collected by cutting crops in orchards of different places of the district. “Oranges have been produced in an orchard of 430 hectares of land,” he said, adding, “Farmers have sold oranges worth Rs 316 million at the rate of Rs 70 per kg.” ”

Orange orchard is spread over 835 hectares of land in Myagdi. Last year, 4,781 metric tonnes orange was produced in 425 hectares of land at the rate of 11.25 metric tonnes per hectare. Last year, oranges worth Rs 340 million were sold.

The production decreased by 5.56 percent compared to the previous year. Though there was no infection of any insects this year, the production has decreased due to thin feed on the plants, said Bastola.

“This year, the weather has cooperated. Although there were no pests and no damage caused by the disaster, the yield has decreased this time,” Bastola said, adding, “The production has been affected due to the natural characteristics of orange farming, which yields high yield one year and low seed the next.” ”

Despite the increase in the area and value of orange land, productivity has decreased. Last year, the farmers who sold oranges at Rs 65 per kg have sold them at Rs 5 more this year. There are more than two hundred orange orchards in Rakhu, Marek, Surkemela, Barangja, Bhendabari, Arman, Runma, Bim, Okharbot, Takam, Ghatan, Piple, Bhagwati, Beg, Dowa, Dosalle, Ghar, Bhurung Tatopani, Dana and Narchyang.

Om Giri, a farmer of Mangala Rural Municipality-3, said that oranges are being sold in Beni, the district headquarters Beni, capital Kathmandu, Pokhara and Muglingayat bazaars. According to Giri, oranges worth Rs 11 lakh were sold from his orchard this year.

Due to the transportation facility, traders come to the orchard with vehicles to buy oranges. Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project, Agriculture Development Office and Agriculture Section at the local level have been assisting in the distribution of orange saplings, technical training, orchard management, micro irrigation and marketing.