Apples worth Rs 500 million exported from Mustang

The apples worth Rs 500 million have been exported from Mustang this year.

Seventy percent of the total product has been supplied outside the district, according to agriculture knowledge centre. The export amounted 4,620 metric tons.

The apple is sold at Rs 100 per kg in September and at Rs 120-130 in November.

However, the farmers said the apple was sold at Rs 110 per kg in average. Chief of agriculture knowledge centre in Mustang, Prakash Bastakoti, informed that the apple production was upped by 18.56 percent this year. “It was found during crop cutting and inquiry made at orchard. The production was increased due to favourable climate, land and increased new plants,” he observed.

The apples were planted in 580 hectares of land. The farming is done in all five local levels of Mustang. The crop cutting survey had revealed that 11.37 metric tons of apples is produced in a hectare, Bastakoti added.

This year, out of total product, 440 metric tons of apples was produced with high density technology. Such technology is adopted in 38 hectares of land.

The centre further said farmers had been aware of orchard management.

Agriculture officer for PM Agriculture Modernization Project, Netra Bhatta, said nearly 70 metric tons of apple was kept in six cold stores for off-season sale. In March-April, apple will get more price.

There is an apple zone program under the PM Agriculture Modernization Project where more than 125 firms including that of cooperatives, and private are being conducted in the district. The agriculture knowledge centre has been running the apple bloc program. Seventy percent of the apple produced in Mustang is supplied outside the district.

The apple is produced in the land with the altitude of 2,500 meter from the sea level. The cold weather with snow adds quality and taste to the apple.

The tourists visiting Mustang buy apples as gift. There are also six liquor factories which produce liquor by processing apples.