SATV, Kathmandu, Aug. 24 - Farmers in Ajirkot Rural Municipality-2 of Gorkha have been encouraged by a plentiful apple harvest this year in the Mulkharka and Nablu areas of Kharibot.

Farmers have been excited after apple trees planted at an altitude of around 2,200 metres produced a good yield. According to Sanjib Tamang, operator of Mulkharka Medicinal Herbs and Apple Farm, the orchards are now covered with ripening red apples.

He said preparations were underway to begin harvesting from the fourth week of August. Around 3,000 kg of apples were produced from two farms last year. “Around 80 per cent of the apples were sold in local markets, while the rest were sent to Kathmandu and Pokhara,” said Tamang. 

As the apples are organically produced and therefore priced slightly higher than those available in the market, competing in the market remains a challenge. Last year, apples were sold for Rs. 300 per kg to customers visiting the farms and for up to Rs. 350 per kg in outside markets, he said.

Ajirkot Rural Municipality began supporting farmers to test apple cultivation three years ago. Rural municipality chairperson Dipak Devkota said the municipality provided a 100 per cent subsidy for the purchase of apple saplings and a 50 per cent subsidy for developing orchard infrastructure to interested farmers.

According to Shambhu Thapa, chief of the municipality’s Agriculture Section, 600 saplings of Fuji, Red Delicious and Gala varieties imported from Italy were distributed to farmers on a trial basis. Although only 220 trees bore fruit initially, all the trees have produced fruit this year, he said.

Following the success of the trial, the rural municipality plans to expand commercial apple farming in wards 1 and 2. The municipality said commercial apple cultivation has also been prioritised in its policy and programme for fiscal year 2026/27.

The expansion of apple cultivation is expected to increase local farmers’ income and contribute to the development of agro-tourism in Ajirkot Rural Municipality.