BABIYACHAUR: Insect epidemic has badly affected apple crop in Mustang district. According to the District Agricultural Office, Jomsom, apple trees have started dying due to insect-borne diseases. There are apple orchards in 4,500 hectares of land in the district. Fearing potential loss at the peak of the season, farmers are spending sleepless nights. A local of Kobang, Gautam Sherchan, said he owns 500 apple trees. Tukuche, Marpha, Jomsom, Muktinath, Kagbeni and Kobang are considered hotbeds of apple farming. Popular for their taste, apples produced in the district are sent to Beni, Baglung, Pokhara, Chitwan, Kathmandu and all over the country.