By Arjun Kafle, Synagja, Sept. 29: Do you want fresh oranges round the year? No problem. A farmer in Syangja, a district well known for tasty juicy oranges, grows different kinds of oranges throughout 12 months.

One can get to taste oranges of 20 different kinds in Bodhraj Aryal's farm in Putalibazaar Municipality-11, Mayatari.

The orange farming initiated by renting 45 Ropanis land has been able to create a different identity of the Syangja district.
Currently, Aryal has grown oranges of Unsu selection in his farm.

"Unsu oranges are grown in the month of Bhadra and Ashoj and Japanese oranges are grown during Kartik of the Nepali lunar calendar," said Aryal.

Likewise, Syangja's special sweet-oranges and Dhankuta's Khoku are grown in Mangsir and Japanese Valencia are grown in late Falgun, he added.

He said that American oranges were grown in Chaitra and Pakistani Kinno oranges in Baisakh.

"Similarly, during the months of Jestha, Ashad and Shrawan, we grow oranges of different kinds like Liyali Mandarin, Mandarin Oran, Mandarin Imperial, Avina, Valencia Seeding and Novel 315," said Aryal.

Aryal is the only one who has been farming oranges of different countries in the village. There are 1,000 trees of Nepali oranges, 100 Unsu orange trees, 20 Kumquat plants and other 100 trees of different types of oranges.

"I farmed oranges of foreign kinds with a view to stopping the import of foreign oranges. Also, one can earn a fair amount by selling unseasonal fruits," Aryal said.

Nepali oranges cost Rs. 50 per kilo but unseasonal oranges cost Rs. 150 per kilogram, he said.

Aryal started growing Japanese oranges in his farm 10 years ago by bringing the seeds from Kritipur and later expanded his orange orchard by consulting with the experts.

"As my farm lies 800 meters above the sea level, I searched the oranges which would be favorable to grow in the environment of my village," said Aryal.

Aryal, who is earning Rs. 1.5 million annually from orange farming, aims to expand his farm in the days to come. He is also the Chairman of the orange super zone under the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project.