Himachali farmer to sell apple plant to Nepal

Growing apple plants at low elevation is considered to be a knotty task but it was ecstatic movement for   Pradeep who become the first farmer in the state to grow and  export apple saplings to Nepal. 

 On Wednesday, a group of 10 people from Nepal, including MLA from Nepal’s Sudarpaschim Pradesh, Gelbu Singh Bohra, under-secretary of Horticulture Department Prakash Pant and chairman of Marma Municipality, Jaman Singh, reached Solan,known as  ‘Mushroom city’ of  India to visits and order importing the apple sapling form India to Nepal. 

The Nepali team including officials arrived at Ashwani Khud at the apple plants nursery of Pradeep Verma, a progressive young horticulturist. Grown by Pradeep Verma, who hails to Chopal area of Shimla district, this nursery was appreciated by the Nepali delegation and along with it information was taken from Pradeep about the plants prepared by him and its planting methods and growing techniques. 

 MLA of Sudarpachim constituency of Nepal, Gelbu Singh said that there are environmental similarities in his area and Himachal Pradesh and the Government of Nepal is trying to make their youth self-employed and in this context, the saplings they will take from here will be given to the growers.  He said that initially 35,000 apple saplings will be imported to Nepal by on trial basis and if all goes well, more apple plants will be imported to Nepal.

Emboldened by the purchase order,  Pradeep said that with this initiative of the Government of Nepal and the government should take appropriate steps to promote horticulture in Himachal as well.  Significantly, many varieties of apple plants including King Rot, Red Velox, Dark Brown Gala will be exported to  Nepal from Pradeep’s nursery.   This year alone, half box of apple which grown Pradeep’s orchard has been sold up to Rs 2600 in market.