In Syangja, Nepal, orange growing has changed the life of many farmers after the area was declared an orange pocket area. More than Rs 260 million worth of oranges, equating to 10,200 metric tonnes, have been sold from the area in the first half of the current fiscal year 2015/16.
According to Tilak BC, Information Officer at the District Agriculture Development Office, Syangja, “The commercial orange farming spans across 1,250 hectare of areas across the district."
He added that of the total products around 1,224 metric tonnes of orange was consumed locally whereas the remaing 8,466 metric tonnes were exported outside the district.
“Although a large quantity of oranges was produced this year, fetching good prices, the farmers faced problems with their sales due to the India-imposed unofficial border blockade on Nepal,” said BC.
Putalibazar Municipality, Pelakot, Biruwa, Manakamana, Thuladihi and Khiling-Deurali among others are known as pocket areas for commercial orange farming, according to the DADO.
(1 Indian Rupee=0.015 USD)
Source: thehimalayantimes.com
