Mustang, October 29
Apples worth Rs 1.1496 billion have been produced in the Himalayan district of Mustang this year, according to preliminary estimates.
The District Agriculture and Livestock Development Office said the preliminary figures cover a total of 662 hectares across the district’s five local levels.
Office chief Lalmani Aryal said hybrid apples grown using high-density technology were worth Rs 230.6 million this year. Traditional local apples were worth Rs 919.091 million. In total, 7,038.54 metric tonnes of apples were produced, including both hybrid and local varieties.
Of this, hybrid apples accounted for 959.62 metric tonnes and traditional local apples for 6,078.92 metric tonnes. Dr Aryal said agricultural technicians visited the orchards and measured the average yield using the crop-cutting method. He added that the office also coordinated with technicians at the local levels and with apple farmers to estimate the volume of production.
Apples worth Rs 948.092 million are expected to be sold outside the district, while those worth more than Rs 175.6 million have been consumed locally. The district has set the price of hybrid apples at Rs 240 per kg and traditional local apples at Rs 151 per kg.
Mustang produced 6,684.30 metric tonnes of apples last year. According to Dr Aryal, this year’s harvest is 354.24 metric tonnes, or 5.29 percent, higher than last year’s.
Apple orchards in the district now cover 917 hectares. Hybrid varieties are grown on 76 hectares, and traditional local varieties on 841 hectares.
-RSS
