Lakpa Gurung of Shardibas, one of the most remote wards of Chumnubri Rural Municipality in Gorkha district, was expecting a bumper apple harvest this year, thanks to the abundant winter snowfall that filled the trees in his orchard with flowers.

Gurung started harvesting apples two weeks ago after they began turning red.

However, he faces a big problem. Transportation in the southern part of Gorkha has become a major issue due to heavy monsoon rains that have severely damaged the roads. Despite the excellent harvest, apple farmers like Gurung are deeply frustrated.

“I have around 400 kg of apples sitting unsold,” said Gurung, who started an apple farm four years ago. “It’s been two weeks, and I still haven't been able to send them to the market.”

This year, he harvested over 670 kg of apples from 900 trees in his orchard, which started producing apples last year. In the first batch, he harvested 200 kg and distributed them to neighbours and relatives as souvenirs.

“This year, the young apple trees yielded 3 to 4 kg of apples per tree. I managed to sell 200 kg to the hotels along the trekking in Philim and Manasulu by carrying them in bamboo baskets on my back,” he said.

He has another 400 kgs of apples stored at home.

“There are still some apples on the trees,” said Gurung. “If I don’t pluck them soon, they will fall,” Gurung said. “But there is no vehicle to transport apples to the market.”

It takes three hours to reach Philim Bazar on foot.

The track to Larke, which was opened in the winter and allowed jeeps, trucks, and tractors to reach Pangsing Pass, one of the routes connecting the Chinese border in the north, has now been blocked by frequent landslides and mudslides, particularly during the ongoing monsoon season.

Lapu is the closest station where vehicles are available, but it is a day-long hike from his farm.

Apple farmers say they have the option of transporting apples on the backs of mules, but there is a big risk of damaging the fruits.

Gurung, who runs Pati Krishi Tatha Pashupanchhi Farm, sold apples for Rs250 per kg in the village, but there were few customers.

Villagers say that supplying apples to the market at this time of year fetches a better price.

Gurung returned to Nepal in 2011 after working as a migrant in Malaysia and started livestock farming and agriculture.

He invested Rs5 million in his farm, which has 600 walnut plants.

Commercial apple farming has thrived in areas like Pangsing and Aagasarseu of Shardibas, and in Namrung of Chumnubri Rural Municipality.

However, lack of transportation has left commercial apple growers frustrated, as they face the prospect of losing considerable income this year just before Nepal’s biggest festivals—Dashain and Tihar, which fall in October-November.

There are more than 12,000 apple orchards in Namrung.

Lakpa Thendup Lama, who also decided to engage in apple farming four years ago in Namrung, is facing a tough year.

“This year, apple yield has doubled, and harvesting has already begun,” Lama said. But, the lack of transportation has dampened his spirits.

“Last year, too, we sold our apples to tourists and hotels in the Manasulu area.” Lama recalled. He had hoped to get a good price for his apples by supplying them to the markets, but has not been able to do so.

He plans to turn the unsold apples into sukuti (dried fruit). He has branded the fruit as ‘Chumnubri Apple’.

It takes around three days to reach Arughat from Namrung.

“Jeeps used to operate in Pangsing, but with the roads in poor condition, they are now empty, and so is our business,” Lama said.

Lama has an apple orchard on 300 ropani (15.26 hectares) .

Two years ago, he exported apples to Kathmandu by helicopter, but it was too costly, he said.

“Supplying apples by helicopter is not possible now. It costs Rs250,000 a trip.”

Several varieties of apples, like golden, fuji, and red delicious, are grown in Gorkha.

The area is 2,650 metres from sea level, giving a geographical advantage for producing apples.

Ashok Joshi, chief of the agriculture department in the rural municipality, said there has been a rapid increase in commercial apple growers in Chumnumbri.

“It has been 4-5 years since commercial apple farming started in the region. There are 6-7 commercial growers now.”

“Apple production has increased this year compared to last year.

However, Joshi pointed out that the high cost of transportation and the lack of storage facilities are major concerns, which have dampened the spirits of Nepali growers who aim to reduce imports.

Nepal imported 82,145 tonnes of apples in the last fiscal year, amounting to Rs8.44 billion, mainly from China.

The locals said the improved road connectivity could help reduce import of apples.