In Nepal's Gorkha district, the orange sector is encountering production challenges. This year, the district reported orange sales valued at approximately $750,000, a decrease from last year's $1.01 million, as noted by Purna Dhungana, head of the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation Project, Gorkha Unit.
Several factors are contributing to the reduced output, including plant diseases and the decline in animal husbandry affecting compost availability. Additionally, winter drought and inadequate irrigation have impacted production levels, which dropped from 2,300 tons last year to 1,800 tons this year.
Despite these challenges, farmers achieved favorable prices by bypassing contractors and directly marketing their produce in Gorkha, Pokhara, Chitwan, and Kathmandu, fetching between $0.68 and $1.13 per kg. The district is implementing an old orchard management program, offering a 50% subsidy on micronutrients, pesticides, and organic fertilizers to boost production.
Orange cultivation spans approximately 1,000 hectares in Shahid Lakhan Rural Municipality-2, 4, 5, and 6, with additional cultivation across 1,200 hectares in various wards of Gorkha Municipality, Gandaki Rural Municipality, Bhimsen Thapa Rural Municipality, and Palungtar Municipality. The office provides agricultural inputs with an 85% subsidy to support local farmers.
Farmer Dhruba Khanan from Shahid Lakhan Rural Municipality-4 stated, "If the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernisation Project, Gorkha provides necessary skilled technicians in a timely manner and provides the necessary fertilizer and irrigation facilities, orange production will increase."
Source: The Rising Nepal