This became possible after Himali Multipurpose Cooperatives built a cold storage at Kattikswami-4. The storage currently has 11 tons of apples.[break]
“In the past, apples produced in local farms used to rot in the absence of cold storage. Now, we can save the apples for off-season where farmers get good price,” Shankhu Bahadur Khatri, president of the cooperatives, told Republica.
Locals had initially stored 22 tons of apples in the cold storage.
The cooperatives built the cold storage with the assistance of South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Development Fund.
“Visitors who come to Jumla now can buy local apples from the cold storage,” Khatri said.
Now farmers are getting good price for their produce. They are selling apples stored at the cold storage for Rs 80 per kg. Earlier, they used to sell apples for as little as Rs 16 per kg.
Officials of the cooperatives plan to store potato in the cold storage after all the apples are sold out.
According to Khatri, apples stored in the cold storage are also being taken to exhibitions in Kathmandu and other cities in the country.
Related story
Italian apple gives new hope for Jumla farmers
