The association has set differential prices based on quality of apples, according to Ram Krishna Budthapa, chairman of the association. It has set price of Grade ´A´ organic apples at Rs 35 per kg. Similarly, the price of Grade ´B´ and ´C´ apples has been fixed at Rs 30 and Rs 20 per kg respectively.[break]
Last year, the association had fixed the price of Grade ´A´ organic apples at Rs 30 per kg.
Similarly, the association has fixed the price of Grade ´A´ non-organic apples at Rs 30 per kg. The price of Grade ´B´ and Grade ´C´ non-organic apples has been fixed at Rs 25 and Rs 15 per kg respectively.
The association has been entrusted the responsibility of transporting apples produced in the district to nearby markets by using grant provided by the government.
Apples produced in 14 wards of Kartikswami, Mahat and Patmara VDCs have received organic food certification from Organic Certification of Nepal. Similarly, certification process for apples produced in Chandannath, Depalgaun and Gargyakot VDC is underway.
Bed Prasad Chaluagain, chief of District Agriculture Development Office (DADO), said the office plans to apply for organic certification for apples produced in all 30 VDCs in the district.
The district had produced a total of 3,300 tons of apples last year. “But only 55 tons of apples produced in the district could be taken to market last year,” said Chaulagain.
Budthapa said apple production in the district is estimated to have fallen by as much as 50 percent this year. The association has started purchasing apples from farmers through its three collection centers.
Meanwhile, the government has increased grant for packaging and transportation of apples produced in the district for this year. It has increased the grant to Rs 2.5 million from Rs 1.1 million of the past year.
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