KATHMANDU: Farmers in Patha and Kasauti villages of Api Himal rural municipality-3 in Darchula are struggling to sell their apple harvest due to a lack of market access and transportation challenges. Nearly 50 families in the region, who engage in both commercial and traditional apple farming, are facing significant losses as their produce remains unsold.
Kapur Singh Dhami, operator of the Himalayan Agriculture Farm, reported that despite a bountiful harvest of Gala, Fuji, and grafted apple varieties, the farmers have no viable way to reach the market. Dhami, who produced between 15 and 20 quintals of apples from over 500 trees, noted that while some families managed to distribute a small portion to relatives or sell locally, a large quantity remains unused. ‘I sold about one quintal in the village for Rs 100 per kilogram, but I still have 10 quintals left,’ Dhami said. He explained that transporting the fruit to the nearest road head takes an entire day, and there is no guarantee of finding buyers once they arrive.
Janak Singh Karki, a farmer from Kasauti, expressed similar concerns, noting that his village is even more remote than Patha. A cold storage facility, constructed by the Cottage and Small Industries Development Office in Patha three years ago, currently holds between 15 and 20 quintals of apples belonging to various farmers, including Dhami’s stock. However, the farmers are worried that the lack of consistent electricity supply and the extended storage time could cause the fruit to spoil.
