MUSTANG: Mustang district has produced apples worth an estimated Rs 1.14 billion this year, according to preliminary data from the Agriculture and Livestock Development Office.
The office has collected initial production data from five local levels, covering a total of 662 hectares of apple orchards.
According to office chief Dr. Lalmani Aryal, the district produced high-density, hybrid apples worth Rs 236 million and traditional local apples worth Rs 919.91 million. Total production of both varieties reached 7,038.54 metric tonnes.
Of the total output, hybrid apples accounted for 959.62 metric tonnes, while traditional varieties contributed 6,078.92 metric tonnes.
Aryal said agricultural technicians estimated production by visiting orchards and measuring yields using the crop-cutting method. The office also coordinated with agricultural technicians and apple farmers in the respective local levels to assess overall production.
Apples worth an estimated Rs 948.92 million are expected to be sold outside the district, while produce worth more than Rs 175.6 million is expected to be consumed locally.
The price of hybrid apples has been fixed at Rs 240 per kilogram, while traditional local apples are priced at Rs 151 per kilogram.
Mustang produced 6,684.30 metric tonnes of apples last year. This year’s output represents an increase of 354.24 metric tonnes, or 5.29 percent, compared with the previous year.
Apple orchards now cover 917 hectares across the district, including 76 hectares under hybrid varieties and 841 hectares under traditional local varieties.
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