The orange business has begun in Tsirang, bringing better prices for the orange growers as compared to the past. However, the dealers are unhappy with the reduced yield. The orange dealers say, both the yield and the quality have gone down this year.
Since Gelephu is a high-risk area for coronavirus, the farmers are bringing their oranges to depots in Tsirang. And dealers have set up more depots this time.
This is to avoid unnecessary government expenditures quarantining labourers in Gelephu. But the orange yield according to the dealers has decreased. They say they are worried of prices dropping.
Tshering Zangmo, a dealer said, “The yield has gone down drastically this year. We can’t harvest bigger oranges because it easily falls when we climb trees. With poor orange quality, we are worried about orange prices going down anytime and receiving complaints from our counterparts. But we are taking extra time to segregate the best quality for export.”
“This year, insects have infested oranges and it requires more time while segregating. I exported thirteen truckloads of oranges so far. Fortunately, I didn’t receive any complaints since we segregated well. So far, the prices are also as usual,” said another dealer, Ugyen.
The orange growers say fruit drop caused by insects is affecting their harvest.
Kinzang Wangchuk, an orange supplier said, “For instance, an orange grove, which fetched about Nu 80,000 last year can’t even fetch Nu 40,000 today. Some even come down to Nu 8000 this year due to poor yield. Initially, there was good fruiting but the majority of oranges fell before the harvesting season”
Masur Bhurathoki, an orange grower said, “In the past, orange used to be the main source of income for us. But over the years, the yield has declined. It used to fetch around Nu 35,000 to 40,000 in the past but this year I am selling it at around Nu 27,000.”
However, the price has increased this year and it is expected to shoot up in the coming days. The best quality orange, which used to fetch Nu 700 per box last year fetches some Nu 1000 this time.
Pema Tshewang, Tsirang
Edited by Sangay Chezom
