Kiwi farming expands in Mahabharat range as prices fall
Summary
Kiwi farming is expanding across the Mahabharat range in Dadeldhura as farmers replace declining apple orchards, but rising production has pushed farmgate prices down. Officials say area and output have nearly doubled in a year, with subsidies helping growers expand orchards and nurseries.
Key Points
- Farmers in the Mahabharat range are increasingly cultivating kiwi as apple production has declined over the past 15 years.
- Kiwi prices have fallen from more than Rs. 400 per kilogram to around Rs. 150 per kilogram as production has increased.
- The Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Dadeldhura has supported growers with 50 per cent subsidies for plants, fertilisers, support structures and orchard management.
- Kiwi cultivation in Dadeldhura rose from 19 hectares to 23 hectares, while production increased from 10 metric tonnes to 19 metric tonnes in one year.
