Jumla, August 29 : Farmers are worried as apple production is likely to decrease in Jumla this year. The production is estimated to drop by as much as half the production last year as the apple blooms was destroyed by frost this year. “At this time last year, I was very busy picking up apples in my orchard, whereas this year there are only few fruits in the trees,” said Laxmi Bhandari, an apple farmer of Chandannath Municipality-1.
Twelve thousand metric tonnes apple was produced in the district last year, the Agriculture Development Office Jumla said. The Office said 16 thousand households in the district grow apples. “No other crops are cultivated on the land where apples are grown.
This year, neither the farmers have got apples nor food grain in stock. The apple has been damaged by hailstone, drought and frost this year,” said Gopi Chand Budha, another apple farmer. Apple is grown on 3,700 hectares out of the 39 thousand 435 hectares of total cultivable land in Jumla, the Office said. RSS
