MANANG, August 11: Apple farmers in Manang have shifted to growing hybrid varieties, indicating their increasing inclination towards the commercial production of the fruit.

Sol Bahadur Gurung of Tachai in Nason Rural Municipality-8 said that the production from hybrid varieties exceeded that from the local varieties.

“Besides, the market for hybrid varieties is encouraging,” Gurung added.

Polden Chhopang Gurung, the founder of Agro Manang, seconded Sol Bahadur, saying that farmers in the district have been attracted to hybrid apple farming for both production and market availability. 

Hybrid apple farming, which started six years ago in Manang, has expanded throughout the district, according to the district-based Agriculture Knowledge Centre.

Most of the families in Manang have apple orchards. Polden has a high density apple orchard spread over four ropanis of land. 

“We first brought the saplings of high-yielding varieties of hybrid apples from Italy and Serbia,” said Polden. “Then, the farming of different hybrid varieties such as Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious and Red Delicious expanded from our farm to other parts of the district.”

 Farmers have been attracted towards hybrid varieties as those apples started producing fruits in two years, said Madan Regmi, chief of the centre. “And, the production keeps on increasing.”

Farmers have been earning more with the increase in production.

Hybrid apple farming has been expanded to over 13,000 ropanis of land in the district, Regmi added. 

Apples produced in Manang are exported to Pokhara, Kathmandu, Chitwan as well as abroad. -- RSS