Farmers in Tsirang are welcoming the bountiful orange season with joy. The citrus is fetching a good price this season adding to the joys of orange growers. Some of them have sold the orange to the buyers even before the harvest.
The scent of citrus has filled the air of Gosarling, Tsholingkhar and Kilkorthang Gewogs in Tsirang. The fruits are seen hanging in sprawling branches that the trees can hardly withstand the weight.
The abundant fruiting has attracted numerous buyers. The farmers have already sold the oranges and the buyers will start harvesting the fruits from next month.
“I got around Nu 300,000 from around 450 orange trees last year. This time I already got more than 400,000 ngultrum from the same orchard,” said Mon Bdr. Dahal, a farmer from Gosarling.
Karma Yuden, a farmer from Tsholingkhar said, “around 100 orange trees fetched me around Nu 70,000 last year. This year, I got around Nu 200,000.”
“Last year I sold at Nu 30,000. Orange production is much better with bigger sizes this season. I am not sure how much I will get but I am expecting around Nu 60,000 this time,” said Goma Pradhan, a farmer from Kilkhorthang.
Every year, farmers are losing oranges to fruit dropping. Fruit dropping is the premature shedding of fruits from trees before they are fully ripe. But, this season, fruit dropping is not going to have an impact on income from the citrus.
Once harvested, oranges from Tsirang are usually exported to Bangladesh.
Pema Tshewang, Tsirang
Edited by Sangay Chezom
