Mustang, Oct 15: Mustang district has recorded an increase in apple production this year (2082 BS) compared to last year. According to the Agriculture Knowledge Center, Mustang, apple production rose from 7,238 metric tons last year to 7,636 metric tons this year.
Last year, apples worth Rs 918.67 million were sold, while this year’s production is valued at approximately Rs 1.10 billion.
Talking to National News Agency (RSS), Chief of the Agriculture Knowledge Center, Rajesh Gurung, said the production figures were determined based on crop-cutting surveys, inspections of orchards by agricultural technicians, and reports from local farmers and municipal agricultural branches.
Around 80 percent of the apples produced this year have already been exported outside the district, while 10 percent have been consumed locally and the remaining 10 percent are yet to be harvested. So far, 6,108 metric tons of apples have been exported, generating Rs 861.84 million for the district. Similarly, 763 metric tons worth Rs 110.23 million have been consumed locally, with another 763 metric tons still awaiting harvest.
A total of 832 hectares of land in Mustang are under apple cultivation — 772 hectares for local varieties and 60 hectares for high-density hybrid varieties. Local apples accounted for 6,069 metric tons of production, while hybrids contributed 1,567 metric tons.
The local variety generated Rs 789.7 million in value, while the hybrid variety accounted for Rs 313.4 million. Currently, local apples are being sold at Rs 130 per kilogram and hybrid apples at Rs 200 per kilogram.
Productivity for local apples was recorded at 10.41 metric tons per hectare, slightly down by 0.33 metric tons compared to last year. However, the productivity of hybrid apples increased by 1.12 metric tons per hectare to reach 26.12 metric tons this year. Overall, combined productivity for both varieties stood at 11.87 metric tons per hectare.
While lower-altitude areas of Mustang experienced a slight decline in local apple production, the upper regions saw stable yields. The overall increase in production was attributed to the expansion of apple cultivation areas — local apple cultivation grew from 566 to 583 hectares, and hybrid apple cultivation expanded from 50 to 60 hectares. #nepal #apple #farming
