Market Dilemma: Humla’s Ripe Apples Face Uncertain Future

Farmers in the picturesque Humla district of the Himalayas are facing a concerning predicament as they struggle to sell their bountiful apple harvest. Despite a bumper crop of apples in the region, the lack of road connectivity in upper Humla has left these delicious fruits stranded, unable to reach the market.

Shanti Lama, a resident of Simkot Rural Municipality-5, expressed her worries, saying, “Though I have successfully grown 50 apple trees, I am anxious about finding buyers for my apples. While the apples have ripened beautifully, the challenge lies in transporting them to the market. My apple farm alone produced an impressive 50 quintals of apples.”

Highlighting the limited sales opportunities in Simkot Bazaar, she added, “Selling the remaining apples could prove to be a significant challenge.”

Jay Chandra Rokaya, who tends to a grove of 70 apple trees in Simkot Rural Municipality-6, also voiced his concerns. He noted the excellent apple yield but emphasized the difficulties in marketing them.

Rokaya explained, “The irony is that when apple production is low, there’s worry, but when we have a great apple harvest, the issue becomes transporting them to the market. This problem stems from the fact that Upper Humla Road is not connected to the national road network.”

Shipping apples via airways incurs high costs, making it an impractical option for many farmers. Furthermore, the challenge extends to storing the ripe apples, as there is no agricultural insurance to provide compensation for unsold produce.

Dharma Shahi, Chief of the Agriculture Development Office, acknowledged the transportation predicament. He revealed that more than 70 farmers in the area have extensive apple orchards, and the southern part of Humla enjoys better road connectivity, alleviating some concerns.

According to the Agriculture Development Office, there are approximately 2,885 hectares of apple plantations in the region, with an estimated apple production of 4,321 metric tons. However, until the road connectivity issue is addressed, these apples may remain tantalizingly out of reach for eager buyers.