Karnali implementing program to promote fruits, nuts farming

A fruit promotion program is being implemented in nine districts of Karnali Province, with the aim of uplifting the living conditions of local communities.

According to the Nuts and Fruits Development Project Implementation Unit in Surkhet, the ambitious program will be rolled out across 20 local units within the province. The focus of the initiative will be on the cultivation and commercialization of fruits such as apples and oranges, along with nuts like walnuts, groundnuts, and pecan nuts.

Chitra Bahadur Rokaya, the project manager, said Karnali has immense potential for fruit farming which is already a significant source of income for many farmers. The program seeks to expand and promote fruit and nut farming in the selected local units of these nine districts, he added.

As part of the initiative, apple farming will be expanded to cover 1,450 hectares, while orange, walnut, pecan nuts, and groundnut farming will extend to 350, 600, 100, and 100 hectares, respectively. The program will specifically promote apple and walnut farming in Jumla, Dolpa, Humla, Mugu, and Kalikot. Meanwhile, orange, groundnut, and pecan nut farming will be promoted in Dailekh, Jajarkot, Salyan, and Rukum West districts.

The unit plans to collaborate with large-scale cooperatives and private sector companies to promote nuts and fruits farming. Farmers with at least four ropani of land are eligible for selection in the program. Funding for the initiative will be facilitated through concessional loans, partial grants, and equalization grants, Rokaya added. “Proposals for investments up to Rs 5m will be handled by the unit itself, while those above Rs 5m will be forwarded to our central office,” he added.

According to the unit, the program will be implemented in Banphikot, Musikot, Sani Bheri, Dhorchaur and Sharada of Salyan; Chhedagad and Junichande of Jajarkot; Aathabis, Narayan and Chamunda Bindrasaini of Dailekh; Shubhakalika and Narharinath of Kalikot; Hima, Sinja and Kanaksundari of Jumla; Khatyad and Soru of Mugu; Tanjakot and Adanchuli of Humla; and Mudkechula of Dolpa.

The program will be divided into three phases. The first phase will focus on creating awareness about fruit and nut farming. The second phase will emphasize production, while the third phase will center around marketing the products effectively. Along with nine districts of Karnali, the project will cover a total of 100 local units in 34 districts across the country. The targeted fruits include orange, sweet orange, lime, apple, walnut, kiwi, avocado, pecan nuts, and groundnuts. The project will cover 10,000 hectares of land and 30,000 farmers. The program is being funded by the concessional loans and grants from the Asian Development Bank.