September 13:  The apple farmers of Jumla have exported more than 21,000 metric tonnes of apples so far in this year.  Acting chief of the Agriculture Development Office, Jumla, Ganesh Bahadur Adhikari said that the aforementioned quantity of apples were exported from all eight local levels in the district.    
Despite locals' attraction towards apple farming in Jumla in the recent years, apple production has decreased 40 per cent this year compared to the previous year.    
Likewise, the office is collecting data of entire apple production from the district.    
Complete data of the apple production from the district will be availed after some weeks, Information Officer of Agriculture Development Office Sher Bahadur Bhandari added.    
The district produces different species of apple including Jumli, Italy, Gala, Fuji, Jona Prince and others.    
Currently, the traders from the nearby districts are reaching out to the farmers by visiting the apple orchards in Jumla district. The traders have flocked to the Sinja Valley in Jumla to purchase apples.    
Likewise, the local levels in Jumla have issued notice to the farmers asking them to collect apples only after September.    
Yubraj Neupane, a local trader, said that the businesspersons have come here from as far as Surkhet, Nepalgunj, Dang, Dhangadhi and Butwal to purchase apples for the upcoming Teej festival.    
In Jumla, around 16,000 households rely on apple farming for the livelihood. Apples are grown in 4,250 hectares of land in the district. -- RSS