Apple farming can help in Karnali’s poverty reduction. Are stakeholders ready?

Apple is among the well-cultivated fruits in Nepal. In Nepal, apple farming reportedly began in 1937 by introducing improved saplings from Japan and Italy, but the initiative was unsuccessful. Later, commercial apple farming started in Marpha, Mustang , in 1966, establishing a horticulture farm with new varieties of apples. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development , apples are cultivated in 48 districts of Nepal.

However, the apples produced in Nepal are not able to fulfil the domestic demand. As a result, Nepal is importing them in big amounts from different countries such as China, India, and New Zealand every year. In the fiscal year 2018/19, the country imported 73,243 tons of apples worth Rs 4.94 billion.