Helambu will be made an apple village

Helambu is to be made an apple village. After 37 years, the tourist village of Sindhupalchowk, Helambu, has started growing apples again. After the year 2040 BS, the apple stopped bearing fruit and the apple tree was cut down due to disease.

 

Now the local youth are working together to make Helambu an apple village again. According to local Renjen Holmo, more than 300 kg of apples have been sold in the market in the first year of production. He also said that the apples would be sweet as it would continue to rain and get colder in the Helambu area.

 

Pelalamu Sherpa said that he had identified Helambu because of the apples and resumed farming with the determination not to lose them. Farmers say that the local government should now manage the market and technicians as the apples have started to grow. "There is a problem in protecting apple trees from diseases and insects due to lack of agricultural technicians in the village," said Kami Lama of Melamchigyang. "We want the government to pay attention to this." He also said that the hailstones were causing more problems during the flowering season.

 

Apple seedlings have been planted in all the villages not only in Nepal but also in India and third countries. Apple cultivation has been started not only in Helambu but also in the picturesque villages of Kiul, Baruwa and Banskharka. As there was no market, the farmers used to feed the produced apples to the cattle.

 

The municipality also aims to provide special facilities to the apple farmers and make Helambu an apple village, said village chairman Nima Galgen Sherpa. The municipality has said that the seedlings brought from Manang Agro have been tested and will be planted in other places as well. रासस