KATHMANDU, Aug 24: House of Representatives member Gyanendra Shahi has urged the government to halt apple imports at a time when domestically produced apples are struggling to find markets.
Speaking in the House of Representatives on Monday, Shahi drew the attention of the prime minister and the agriculture minister to the issue, calling for greater priority to be given to domestic agricultural production.
Italian apple gives new hope for Jumla farmers
Shahi said Nepal imported apples worth more than Rs 10.55 billion in the previous fiscal year, while Nepali apple farmers faced difficulties selling their produce due to a lack of market access.
He also noted that Nepal imported apples worth around Rs 1.054 billion in the month of Shrawan alone during the last fiscal year.
Shahi argued that the state has failed to adequately utilize Jumla’s agricultural potential. According to him, the district has around 38,486 hectares of cultivable land, but only about 11 percent is currently under cultivation, leaving vast areas of farmland unused.
“If the state invests Rs 1 billion in Jumla, farmers in the district can generate agricultural output worth Rs 9 billion,” Shahi told Parliament.
He urged the government to focus on expanding domestic production and creating markets for Nepali agricultural products rather than relying on imported apples.
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