Mustang, Oct 24: Mustang, known as the apple capital of the Himalayas, has recorded its highest apple production this year. Mustang farmers have generated over Rs 920 million through apple exports.
According to the Agriculture Knowledge Center in Mustang, approximately 7,330 metric tons of apples have been produced this year. Rajesh Gurung, head of the Agriculture Knowledge Center, stated, “This year, Mustang has seen the highest apple production to date. Preliminary estimates indicate that around Rs 920 million worth of apples have been exported, with complete data still pending. The favorable weather during the flowering and fruiting periods has contributed to this increase, benefiting farmers significantly.”
Compared to previous years, apple production has risen by about 35 percent, as reported by the Agriculture Development Directorate of Gandaki Province. Last year, Mustang produced 5,596 metric tons of apples, meaning this year’s output exceeds last year’s by 734 tons. Last year, apples worth Rs 547.2 million were exported, and this year, the revenue has increased by nearly Rs 290 million, according to Gurung.
The Agriculture Development Directorate of Gandaki reported that local apple varieties accounted for 6,078 metric tons of this year’s production. Local varieties are cultivated across 830 hectares, with 566 hectares currently yielding apples. When purchased from farmers, traders paid an average price of Rs 110 per kilogram, amounting to a total value of Rs 668,672,400.
Local variety apples were exported at Rs 110 per kilogram, while hybrid apples fetched Rs 200 per kilogram, contributing around Rs 830 million to Mustang’s economy, according to Gurung.
Basu Dev Regmi, the Girector-General of the Gandaki Agriculture Development Directorate, estimated that approximately Rs 601.8 million worth of local variety apples would be consumed and exported this year, with sales exceeding initial estimates by Rs 60 million.
He noted that the production of imported high-density apple varieties has been improving in Mustang. Some farmers have begun producing significant quantities of apples from foreign varieties, enhancing the potential for commercial apple production.
Currently, high-density apple farming spans only 60 hectares, with 50 hectares already producing apples. This area has yielded 1,250 metric tons of apples, averaging Rs 200 per kilogram, with a total value of Rs 25 million.
Of the apples produced, 10 percent are consumed and stored locally, while the remaining 90 percent are distributed and exported to places such as Myagdi, Baglung, Parbat, Pokhara, Narayangadh, and Kathmandu, as reported by the directorate.
In Mustang, apple cultivation has expanded to 1,415 hectares, with apples yielding from 585 hectares of land, according to the Agriculture Knowledge Center. Approximately 80 percent of the apples grown are local varieties, while 20 percent are hybrid varieties. #nepal #mustang #apple
