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Farmer Gunda Bahadur Thakuri from Tinkanya, Golanjor Rural Municipality-4, earned Rs 1.5m this year from the sale of junar (sweet orange). Although his earnings have reached up to Rs 3.5m in previous years, production declined slightly this year due to unfavorable weather conditions. Thakuri, who has been cultivating junar for around 35 years, is supported in his work by his wife, Devi Kumari Thakuri. He currently farms on more than 25 ropanis of land.

The land, once unproductive even for basic crops like corn or millet, now supports thriving junar orchards that have helped fulfill Thakuri’s aspirations and created employment opportunities for locals. Several farmers in the area have found success through dedication and hard work, earning millions annually from junar cultivation.

In addition to Golanjor, commercial junar farming is underway in Kamalamai Municipality-3, Jalakanya Chapauli, Tinpatan Rural Municipality-1 (Shram Khola), Sunkoshi Rural Municipality-7 (Majhuwa), and other areas of Sindhuli district.

Junar has become the main source of income for many households in the region, replacing traditional crops such as pulses, corn, millet, and sorghum. Contributing to this shift are better market access, favorable pricing, and government initiatives like the Prime Minister’s Agriculture Modernization Project’s Junar Superzone program.

Farmers in the Mahabharat range of the district earn between Rs 350,000 and Rs 500,000 annually through junar farming. This growth has not only improved household incomes but also created local employment. Junar from Sindhuli is also transported to Kathmandu and other regions as a gift item (koseli).

To capitalize on its identity as a major junar-producing area, Golanjor Rural Municipality has proposed renaming itself “Junar Rural Municipality,” according to Chairperson Shankar Raj Baral. “We have seen prosperity through junar farming. It is the primary source of income for locals. While we are preparing to brand the municipality at the national and international levels, a few technical matters are still being addressed,” Baral said.

The municipality has been implementing special programs to support farmers, including training and access to better pricing. Across Sindhuli district, junar and orange cultivation spans 1,318 hectares, with junar grown on 794 hectares. The district produces junar worth approximately Rs 520m annually.

According to the Prime Minister’s Agriculture Modernization Project Implementation Unit, junar orchards have recently expanded to 237 hectares in Sindhuli, creating employment for over 6,000 people. Chandrakant Chaudhary, Chief Administrative Officer of Golanjor Rural Municipality, emphasized the importance of effective marketing to enhance income at both the local and national levels. The municipality is also providing incentives and subsidies for pest and disease control to improve the quality of production.

Apple on Thursday estimated that tariffs will add about $900 million in costs to the quarter ending in June if rates do not change, with CEO Tim Cook outlining profound changes to the company's supply chain to minimize the impact of President Donald Trump's trade war, Reuters reported.

Apple shares were down 3.8% after the company released quarterly results.

While the results were better than analysts had expected, investors are focused on how tariff concerns will play out in the coming quarter. Apple executives said that the company expects low-to-mid single-digit revenue growth during its fiscal third quarter, which is in line with analyst expectations of 4.28% growth to $89.45 billion, according to LSEG data.

But Apple did predict a hit to gross margins, which it said will be 45.5% to 46.5% in its fiscal third quarter, which is below analyst estimates of 46.58%, according to LSEG data, according to Reuters.

Koshi Province is all set to host its first-ever Investment Summit on May 1-2 in the provincial capital, Biratnagar. The provincial government aims to attract investments worth nearly Rs 175bn through the event, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

At a press conference held on Wednesday, Saroj Koirala, CEO of the Provincial Investment Authority, said the summit marks a historic and result-oriented initiative for the prosperity and development of Koshi Province, which holds immense investment potential. The government will showcase 71 large-scale projects, each valued above Rs 100m, across eight key sectors including tourism, agriculture, industry, energy, infrastructure, and IT services.

According to Koirala, the total estimated cost of these showcased projects stands at Rs 173.49bn. To facilitate investment, the provincial government has amended eight key laws through ordinances, aimed at creating an investor-friendly legal framework.

On April 29, Province Chief Parshuram Khapung issued the ordinances, following the recommendation of the provincial cabinet. According to Rewatiraman Bhandari, Minister for Internal Affairs and Law and spokesperson of the provincial government, the amended laws include the Public Private Partnership and Investment Authority Act 2019, Provincial Cooperative Act, Provincial Transport Management Act, Provincial Building Act, Provincial Industrial Enterprises Act, Provincial Tourism Act, Koshi Province Private and Partnership Firm Registration Act, and the Provincial Forest Act.

Minister Bhandari said these legal reforms are expected to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles and ease the investment process. Coordination has also been made with the federal government, which has already amended several related laws, and further legal initiatives are underway.

Investors from China, Russia, the United States, South Korea, India, along with non-resident Nepalis and prominent domestic industrialists, are expected to attend the summit. The event will feature six thematic panel discussions, covering areas such as agriculture and tourism potential, industrial production and marketing, infrastructure development and energy, and opportunities in health and medical education.

The opening day will include discussions on Koshi Province’s investment environment and intergovernmental coordination across Nepal’s three levels of government. To ensure the summit leads to tangible outcomes, the provincial government has also planned a pre-meeting and will conduct periodic follow-up meetings post-summit to address implementation challenges.

Koirala said the government is preparing to sign agreements to move forward with at least two dozen projects during the event.

Dairy farmers in Bidur Municipality have started receiving subsidies under the ‘Milk Producer Promotion Program’ supported by the Bagmati Province Government. The initiative aims to encourage rural farmers engaged in regular milk production by providing financial incentives through the local government. As part of the program, Bidur Municipality has begun distributing subsidies to farmers who sell a minimum of 10 liters of milk daily to nearby dairies. Eligible farmers are receiving a grant of Rs 3.5 per liter of milk sold. The first phase of subsidy distribution has been carried out at Trishuli Dairy Suppliers in Devighat, Bidur-5, where many farmers regularly supply milk.

Mayor Rajan Shrestha personally visited the dairy to hand over the subsidies to farmers, reaffirming the municipality’s commitment to supporting the agricultural community through such initiatives. Deputy Mayor Prabha Bogati stated that the subsidies have boosted farmers’ morale and are expected to improve dairy production.

The financial support was provided based on data collected during the months of December to February. In the first phase, 51 farmers who met the daily milk supply threshold have received the incentive. According to the municipality, over 400 dairy farmers are active in Devighat alone, and more than nine dairies across Bidur are set to distribute subsidies to affiliated farmers.

During the handover event, local officials, including Acting Chief Administrative Officer Hari Pyakurel and ward chairs from Bidur-5 and Bidur-10, emphasized the continued collaboration of all three levels of government in supporting farmers. An interaction program was also held to discuss milk production, market management, and current challenges with local stakeholders and beneficiary farmers.