Orange Harvest Brings Prosperity to Ichchhakamana Farmers, Generating Rs 100 Million Revenue

In a flourishing success for agriculture in Ichchhakamana rural municipality, over 450 farmers are expected to collectively earn Rs 100 million this year from orange farming alone. The Agriculture Development Section of the rural municipality reported that the oranges produced by local farmers have commanded a favorable price, resulting in substantial income for the community.

At present, a kilo of oranges fetches between Rs 75 to Rs 90 at the farmer's orchard, according to Section Chief Ashish Tripathi. The success story extends across 80 hectares of land in Ichchhakamana rural municipality, with oranges cultivated on 60 hectares this year. Out of the 20,000 orange trees in the area, 15,000 have borne fruits.

Tripathi acknowledged that while this year's production is slightly lower than the previous year, the farmers reaped the benefits of higher market prices. The Orange Growing Area Expansion Programme, initiated by the Agriculture Knowledge Centre (AKC) last year, resulted in an increased plantation area, yet the area with higher production did not witness a corresponding expansion.

Comparatively, the orange production for this year has decreased by 12 percent compared to the previous year's 1,650 metric tonnes, now totaling 1,500 metric tonnes. Orange farming is a significant economic activity in Ichchhakamana rural municipality and Bharatpur Metropolitan City-29, contributing to the prosperity of these hilly regions in Chitwan district.