Apples from Bajura, a remote district in the Far West, have started being transported directly to Dhangadhi. With the coordination of Muktinath Agricultural Company Sudurpaschim, the local municipality and Agricultural Knowledge Center, apples that have not found a market have now started coming to Dhangadhi.

Dant Rawal of Swamikartik rural municipality-1 of Bajura said that apples worth more than 2.5 million have been sold this year. He is happy after selling high-priced apples from the village for the first time. The farmers were worried about how to sell the apples produced till the previous year. But this year, they did not even bother to deliver the sales to the headquarters.

It takes 5 hours by car and one and a half days to reach the capital. Even if we went through so much trouble to deliver the apples, we were worried whether it would be sold or not. It should have been sold cheaply. But this year, we sold all the apples from the village at a good price," Rawal said. 

Farmers have to keep apples in the warehouse to prevent them from spoiling. 5 to 7 thousand only for one day warehouse fee. The farmers had to take the unsold apples to Surkhet and sell them in Martadi. Rawal, who took 2 days from Joru to Surkhet via Martadi, said that he did not get a fair price there. It will take money for warehouse and food. It should be sold cheaply even after delivering it to Surkhet. Half the apple will rot. There used to be more losses than benefits,' he says, 'now there is nothing to worry about. Our apples reach Dhangadhi directly.'

He sells apples at 30 to 40 rupees per kg in Martadi and Surkhet. Like Rawal, another farmer, Prem Katel, collected apples from farmers across the village and sold 60 quintals. He said that he is producing apples in about 1500 plants and will cultivate them in a more commercial way after the market is confirmed. There is not much apple market in the hills. Therefore, with the help of rural municipality, agricultural knowledge center and agricultural company, local farmers' groups have started selling apples in Terai. 

With this, the farmers of Bajura are no longer obliged to carry apples on their backs to the headquarters in Martadi and Kolti. Last October 5, the company brought 60 quintals of apples to Dhangadhi from the farmers. Out of which 35 quintals have been sold and orders for the rest have also been received by Muktinath Agricultural Company. 

From Bajura to Dailekh of Karnali Province, Surkhet and Banke, Bardia of Lumbini Province, organic apples have started reaching Dhangadhi. Farmers say that apples are sold at the rate of 130 rupees per kg in Terai, which is not even sold at 40 rupees in the local market. 

Muktinath Agriculture Company is directly supporting the farmers from apple purchase to sale. Hikmatraj Upadhyay, the regional manager of the company's Sudu Paschim province, says that they are working to market the products of Durgam, branding, increasing the income of farmers and ensuring the market. 

Farmers in remote areas produce many things. However, that product neither gets a market nor a fair price. Considering all these problems, we have reached Bajura.' According to Upadhyaya, Muktinath has made an agreement to guarantee the sale of not only apples, but also corn, millet, soybeans etc. produced there according to the season. Along with this, the company plans to provide necessary agricultural experts and technical assistance to the farmers. 

According to Krishi Gyan Kendra Bajura, apples have been cultivated in 524 hectares in Bajura this year. Out of this, it is estimated that 60 metric tons of apples will be produced in only 12 hectares, said Jasiram Sahni, head of Krishi Gyan Kendra Bajura. He said that the target is to sell the produced apples in the main markets of the country through Muktinath Agricultural Company. "First, the biggest problem was transportation. In the absence of another branding, the farmers would not maintain the quality even if they got the market. It is hoped that because of Muktinath, apples will get both market and quality," said Sahni, head of Krishi Gyan Kendra.