Nepal: Lamjung witnesses decline in orange production this year

LAMJUNG, Jan 6: Production of oranges has decreased in Lamjung. The decrease in orange production has been attributed to disease in the orange plants as well as lack of sufficient care of the orange orchards. Orange production has been decreasing for some years in Syaut village, which is listed as a pocket area by the District Agricultural Development Office. Until a decade ago, farmers earned an annual income of up to Rs 20 million from orange orchards across the village. Farmers have said that there has been a decrease in production even in high-productivity areas such as Chiti, Gaonsahar, Simpani, Bhorletar, Kuncha, Gahte, Duradanda, Rainas, Bhoje, Udipur. Bhagwati Pant of Syaut in Benisahar Municipality-11 has planted more than 600 orange trees on 13 ropani of land. A decade ago, she was earning Rs 600,000 to Rs 700,000 per year. But in recent years, she barely earns Rs 80,000. Information officer at Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Bijay Paudel, said 400 metric tons of oranges ...