Kathmandu. Customers in the terai region of the Far West Province have come to recognize Nepali apples produced in Bajura being superior to the apples from India. Apples from Bajura are juicier, tastier and cheaper, they say.

The climate of Bajura suits apple production. Apples are produced in Jukot, Jagannath, Swamikartik and Pandusen-  northeast region of the district.

The markets in Dhangadhi, Attariya and nearby suburbs used to be flooded with Indian apples; now the locals have started looking for the apples from Bajura. The demand for Bajura apple is such that the price has increased in the orchards in Bajura. Farmers  used to get Rs15-25 per kg last year, they have received Rs40-50 this year, almost double.

“There is problem of transportation, however, due to damages in the Karnali corridor road linking Surkhet-Bajura and the Silgadhi-Saanfe-Martadi-Kolti road,” Min Prasad Joshi, chief officer at Agriculture Knowledge Center, Bajura said. “Customers are waiting for the organic apples, whereas they are rotting n the orchards due to the transportation problem,” he added wryly.

The Agriculture Knowledge Centre is targeting the production of apple products like jam, juice and wine  and is taking initiative to set up a  processing center  for that purpose. This will help decrease the wastage of the fruit crop due to the lack of transportation.

Currentlyt, apples are being taken to Kolti airport on mule backs and tractors from where they are flown to Dhangadhi.  An easier mode can make the price cheaper to the customers and more profitable to the businessmen and farmers, benefiting all at the same time.