KAVREPALANCHOWK: Orange production in Kavrepalanchok is expected to increase by 10 to 15 percent this year, reversing last year’s decline of around seven percent caused by floods and landslides.
The District Agricultural Development Office (DADO) said that preliminary data from the district’s orange-producing areas indicate a significant recovery.
“Production is likely to increase this year due to local-level support for promoting orange cultivation,” said Office Chief Kul Prasad Dawadi. He noted that production in Bethanchowk has been somewhat affected as many gardens have older trees.
Last year, the district had projected 7,500 metric tons of oranges but suffered a loss of 500 metric tons due to flood- and landslide-damaged orchards. Orange cultivation covers about 1,300 hectares (around 30,000 ropanis) in the district, and this year, production is expected to reach roughly 8,000 metric tons.
Dawadi expressed confidence that last year’s orange improvement programs will result in healthy fruit yields. He added that in previous years, orange production had been declining by about two percent annually due to pests and diseases, and that the district once earned more than Rs. 400 million annually from orange sales.
Key orange-producing areas include Panauti, Dhulikhel, Namobuddha, and Bethanchowk Rural Municipality. Awareness campaigns and improvement programs aim to address issues such as drying, tree death, and reduced fruit quality.
Farmers were provided with pesticides and nutrients like protein-brite, and old trees were treated with pruning, lime, and micronutrients to restore productivity rather than being cut down.
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