Kathmandu, October 29: An estimated Rs 1.1496 billion worth of apples was produced in the Himalayan district of Mustang this year, according to preliminary estimates.
According to the Agriculture and Livestock Development Office, preliminary data show that apples worth this amount were produced across 662 hectares of land in the district’s five local levels.
Office Chief Dr Lalmani Aryal said that this year’s production included hybrid apples grown using high-density planting technology worth Rs 230.6 million and traditional local apples worth Rs 919.091 million. Mustang produced a total of 7,038.54 metric tonnes of hybrid and local apples this year.
According to Dr Aryal, production comprised 959.62 metric tonnes of hybrid apples and 6,078.92 metric tonnes of traditional local apples. He said agricultural technicians visited apple orchards and measured average yields using the crop-cutting method. In addition, the office coordinated with agricultural technicians at the respective local levels and apple farmers to estimate the total production volume.
Apples worth Rs 948.092 million are expected to be exported outside the district, while apples worth more than Rs 175.6 million have been consumed within Mustang. The price of hybrid apples has been set at Rs 240 per kilogram, while traditional local apples are priced at Rs 151 per kilogram.
Mustang produced 6,684.30 metric tonnes of apples last year. According to Dr Aryal, production increased by 354.24 metric tonnes, or 5.29 percent, compared with the previous year.
Apple orchards cover a total of 917 hectares in the district. Of this area, 76 hectares are under hybrid apple cultivation, while traditional local apple orchards occupy 841 hectares.
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