Farmers engaged in commercial orange farming have expressed happiness this year after receiving good market prices for their produce.
A total of NRs 320 million worth of oranges has been exported from the district this year. According to the Agriculture Development Office, farmers earned NRs 320.5 million from oranges produced in various parts of the district.
The highest volume of oranges was exported from Banskhark alone, amounting to NRs 200 million. Oranges were also exported from other major production areas including Purnagaun in Mallaj, Ratmata, Shalija, Bhotedanda, Deupur, Bajung, Chitre in Modi Rural Municipality, and Kurgha, Pangrang, Thanamaula, and Limithana in Phalewas Municipality.
The office reported that 3,421 metric tons of oranges were produced and exported this year. Farmers sold oranges directly from their orchards at prices ranging from NRs 95 to NRs 120 per kilogram. Information Officer Sobita Subedi stated that both production and market prices were favorable this fiscal year.
With improved road access reaching rural areas, traders from Kathmandu, Narayangadh, and Pokhara visited orchards to purchase oranges directly. Farmers also transported their produce to markets in Kathmandu and Butwal, making marketing easier and more profitable.
Farmer Ram Prasad Gautam of Phalewas Municipality–11 said that some neighborhoods alone managed to sell oranges worth NRs 10 million to NRs 15 million.
To encourage orange farming, provincial and local governments have been providing support such as field-based training, orchard maintenance assistance, and the distribution of agricultural inputs including lime and pesticides.
The operation of major highways like the Mid-Hill Highway and the Kali Gandaki Corridor, along with improved rural road networks, has significantly boosted orange marketing. Farmers now grade oranges into large, medium, and small categories before selling them directly from orchards.
The region’s climate allows oranges to remain on trees until late January, helping farmers secure better prices.
Currently, more than 400 farmers are involved in commercial orange farming across 833 hectares in Jaljala Rural Municipality, Phalewas Municipality, and Modi Rural Municipality. Interest in orange cultivation has been steadily increasing in recent years.
