Waling (Syangja), Nov 2: This year, lemon producers in Syangj are facing difficulties in finding a suitable market for their produces, in contrast to good supplies last year. Farmers here had made good supplies of lemons last year, but this time the situation is adverse.
Yam Prasad Poudel of Amaldanda of Waling municipality-14 said his income from the supplies of this citrus fruit amounted to Rs 600 thousands last year. But this time, he has not yet harvested the fruit due to uncertainties over the market availability. He is the position of supplying around one ton of produces promptly if a stable market is ensured. Currently, local markets consume only 10 to 15 kilograms daily, leaving farmers like Poudel in a worrisome situation.
Poudel began lemon farming eight years ago after learning that Nepal used to import lemons worth millions of rupees. He initially started on five ropani of land (one ropani is equivalent to 508.72 m²) and expanded it to an additional five ropani due to the positive results from his farming efforts.
Until last year, he could sell lemons for Rs 130 to 150 per kg, depending on the grade, with expectations of earning up to Rs 1.2 million this time. However, his expectations have not been met. Furthermore, the absence of a storage facility in the locality has posed challenges to the lemon farming in the district, it is said.
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