Manang. As the farmers here are attracted towards apple cultivation, apple cultivation has spread in the homes of most of them. In recent times, farmers who have left traditional apple farming and embraced commercial farming are increasing in the district.
The family of Sol Bahadur Gurung of Naso Rural Municipality-8 Tachai is involved in commercial apple farming. Stating that he was doing traditional farming earlier, Sol Bahadur mentioned that now he has started developing (hybrid) apple cultivation.
Sol Bahadur said, “We are attracted to this because we produce more from developed species compared to traditional style and local species. Now there are few local apples in the garden. As the income increases, we are cultivating development.”
Sol Bahadur, a farmer, said that the development is going towards apple cultivation because the production is more and the market demand is also higher. He informed that in recent times, abundant production has been started from Bikasa apples.
Polden Chopang Gurung, the founder of Agro Manang, said that most of the farmers here are growing apple cultivation due to the increase in production and good market demand for apples.
According to the Krishi Gyan Kendra in the district, the development of syakukheti was started in the district by bringing plants from abroad and now it has expanded throughout the district.
Gurung, the founder of Agro, informed that the development of apple cultivation has started with high-tech ‘high density’ technology in the area of four plantations. “Initially, the farm brought apple plants from Italy and Serbia with varieties that give a lot of fruit and yield. From here, apple cultivation of Fuji, Gala, Golden and Red Delicious varieties has expanded”, he said. According to him, development syakukheti, which was expanded six years ago, is now being expanded throughout the district.
Madan Regmi, the head of Krishi Gyan Kendra, said that farmers are attracted towards this type of apple cultivation in about two years. He mentioned that with the increase in production, the income level of farmers is increasing. According to him, farmers have started following hybrid apple cultivation as the production is increasing every year. He says that this has affected the local apple cultivation.
Chief Regmi said that the development of syakukheti is expanding from the lower areas of Manang to the upper areas. There is increasing interest in developing apple cultivation to increase income by improving the cultivation of local varieties of apples.
Since there is no income according to hard work from apple cultivation of local varieties, now the farmers here have started to develop apple cultivation. According to Chief Regmi, apple cultivation has been expanded to more than 13,000 areas.
The markets of apples produced in Manang are Pokhara, Kathmandu, Chitwan and other districts. According to Krishi Gyan Kendra, the apples produced here are exported not only to the country but also to foreign countries. Apples here reach Pokhara, Narayangadh, Kathmandu through Bensisahar in Lamjung. Rasas
