In Ichchhakamana rural municipality, a remarkable achievement in agriculture is anticipated as more than 450 farmers are projected to collectively earn Rs 100 million this year exclusively from orange cultivation. The Agriculture Development Section of the rural municipality has reported that the oranges cultivated by local farmers have garnered favorable prices, resulting in substantial income for the entire community.
Currently, the selling price of oranges at the farmer’s orchard ranges from Rs 75 to Rs 90 per kilogram, as stated by Section Chief Ashish Tripathi. This success story unfolds across 80 hectares of land in Ichchhakamana rural municipality, with oranges cultivated on 60 hectares in the current year. Out of the 20,000 orange trees in the area, 15,000 have borne fruits.
Tripathi acknowledged that although this year’s production is slightly lower than the previous year, the farmers have benefited from higher market prices. The Orange Growing Area Expansion Programme, introduced by the Agriculture Knowledge Centre (AKC) last year, led to an increased plantation area. However, the area with higher production did not witness a corresponding expansion.
In comparison, the orange production for the current year has seen a 12 percent decrease compared to the previous year’s 1,650 metric tonnes, totaling 1,500 metric tonnes. Orange farming plays a crucial role in the economic activities of Ichchhakamana rural municipality and Bharatpur Metropolitan City-29, contributing significantly to the prosperity of these hilly regions in the Chitwan district.