In Modi Municipality–2, Deupur, farmers used to sell their oranges through a cooperative until about four years ago. However, in recent years, they have started dealing directly with traders. Earlier, the Machhapuchhre Orange Cooperative helped with sales, but now leading farmer Dataram Chapagain says they have begun selling privately.
There has been an increase in traders coming to the area to collect oranges. Local teacher Bhoomiraj Sharma says that the hustle and bustle of people picking and transporting oranges makes the place feel like a fair. He also mentions that wholesale traders directly buy the fruit from the orchards, which has made it easier for farmers.
“Most of Deupur’s oranges have gone to Pokhara this year. Some are sold in Narayanghat, Kathmandu, Butwal, and also in the local markets,” Sharma said.
Local farmer Khyamaraj Paudel, who earns well from orange sales, shared that he made five lakhs from selling oranges last year. However, he points out that if there is more production this year, it may lead to less production the following year. Therefore, he expects to sell fewer oranges this season.
Most farmers here now let traders take care of their orchards. Among them are Bhojakumari Chapagai and Baburam Timilsina. Resident Prakash Chapagai said that trucks now come daily to pick up and transport the oranges.
When looking at the overall business, farmers sold around five crore rupees worth of oranges last year. This year, they expect a similar amount of sales. Trader Dataram Chapagai mentioned that now traders are doing the grading of oranges directly in the orchards before transporting them.
For the past 20 years, farmers in this area have been earning significant income from commercial orange farming. Previously, they grew millet and maize, but many have found that growing oranges has improved their standard of living.
More than 160 farmers in the area have switched from other types of farming to focus on growing oranges. The construction of a paved road to the village has also made orange farming more attractive.
What started as a small experiment with orange saplings has now spread throughout the village. In the past, farmers could only earn a few thousand rupees from growing millet and maize. Now, each family is earning between two lakhs to five lakhs rupees a year from oranges.
“Before, growing maize and millet wouldn’t earn more than 20,000 rupees. But with oranges, farmers are now earning up to five lakhs,” Chapagai said. “Today, most farmers in Deupur earn at least two lakhs.”
Initially, some farmers planted orange trees as a test, and after seeing positive results, they expanded the practice throughout the village.
Though the income is good, farmers are worried about the effects of climate change, which has led to more pests and diseases affecting the orange trees, causing some to dry up. This year, local farmers have reported that some oranges have fallen off the trees and been ruined because of pest attacks.
