Phidim, November 26:

Orange farmers here are happy as the price and production both — of oranges — has gone up this year. “Both — the production and price of orange — has increased this year in comparison to last year,” they said.

According to data provided by Panchthar Agriculture Development Office (PADO), “About 700 metric tonnes of oranges was produced in 18 VDCs including Phidim, Siwa, Nangi, Imbung and Angsarang in Panchthar last year.” Orange farmers said that the price of orange was Rs 30 per kg last year but it is Rs 35 per kg in beginning of the season this year. “We sale oranges worth around Rs 15,00,000 to Rs 18,00,000 at Samdin and Talkharka of Phidim-7, every year,” Lila Dhungana, a local farmer, said.

Encouraged by the rise in price, farmers are giving up planting paddy and maize and have turned to orange farming. “The production of orange has increased thrice compared to last year,” Kalananda Mandal, technical assistant at the PADO, said, adding that they have recorded an income of Rs 1,50,00,000 from orange sale.