Kavita Bishwakarma of Nyangaun, Dhurkot Rural Municipality-1, is cultivating oranges commercially on an area of ​​more than 20 ropanis.

Along with orange cultivation that has been going on for 18 years, seedlings have also been being sold by establishing a nursery for 7 years.

Bishwokarma said that there are currently 800 orange trees in her garden. All the seedlings have been bearing fruit for 5 years. She said that she is earning more than 3 lakh rupees annually by selling orange seeds and more than 5 lakh rupees annually from the nursery.

She said that this year, less oranges have been produced and only 50 quintals have gone to the market. ‘There is a problem as the disease/pest outbreak increases, there is also a problem in the absence of irrigation. We have to rely on rainwater,’ she said. ‘The overall problem of Nayagaon is that the seedlings that are ready to bear fruit are drying up and dying.’ She said that it would be better if the problem is solved as a whole. She said that the problem needs to be solved and controlled and the soil needs to be purified, but even if agricultural lime is used, it is not available in the market.

Netra Bahadur Shree of Kaligandaki Rural Municipality-2 Nigare Bisauna has been producing fruit for the past 5 years with the plants he planted 7 years ago. He said that he planted oranges in an area of ​​6 ropanis. He says that although there are more than 600 plants, they have yielded less this year. He said that he earned Rs 700,000 by selling them through a lump sum facilitation from the village. ‘This year the yield was very poor, it is expected to yield better next year,’ he said, ‘The new plants have also started producing.’

Khet Bahadur Khatri of Resunga Municipality-3 Bhadgaun has planted more than 150 plants in an area of ​​3 ropanis. He has an income of Rs 160,000 but complained that the oranges have yielded less this year. He has been cultivating oranges for 7/8 years and said that there are problems with diseases/pests.

Not only them, farmers from Nayagaun, Pipaldhara, Lumchha, Bhadgaun, Birbas, Raja, Lamsarang and Baletksar, famous for oranges, are earning money by cultivating oranges commercially. The oranges here are sent to various markets in Gulmi district, mainly Butwal, for marketing. According to the data of the Agricultural Knowledge Center Gulmi, there has been a huge decline in orange production this year compared to last year.

Last year, 7,368 metric tons of oranges were produced when oranges were cultivated in an area of ​​885 hectares. Out of the area planted with oranges, 615 hectares is productive area. Out of which 11.98 metric tons are productive. Tikaram Neupane, Information Officer of the Agricultural Knowledge Center, said that an income of Rs. 257.869 million has been generated from this.

This year, 5,017 metric tons of oranges have been produced in an area of ​​816 hectares. Of the area planted with oranges, 603 hectares is productive area. Of which, 8.32 metric tons are productive. According to Neupane, Information Officer of the Agricultural Knowledge Center, Gulmi, an income of Rs 200 million 678 thousand 400 was generated. Which is 32 percent less than last year.

According to the Agricultural Knowledge Center, the sharp decline in orange production is due to some reduction in area, unseasonal rains during flowering and fruiting, farmers not paying attention to garden management, fruit falling problems, increased disease/pest infestation, dilapidated gardens and lack of manpower to work in villages.